Steady On
by VirtualMadness
Summary: Set right after the battle on Crait. Rey and Ben Solo / Kylo Ren, the conflicted souls, are eager for the other to join their own side, a tale of light vs. dark. Will their story land in the grey? Classic Reylo. Rated M!
1. Chapter 1

"It's okay, come on." Rey said, ushering the last few survivors of the Resistance onto the Falcon.

She was stressed out to say the least. She needed to speak with Finn, and touch base with the General. So much had happened in so little time. She felt the peace and purpose that Luke left behind, her master and teacher, gone.

What was the next step here? Would Ben find them? And _kill_ them? Where are they to go now th-

Her though was interrupted by the familiar buzzing, followed by complete silence. The were linked now. **_He_** was near by.

Rey looked towards her right, and gazed down at Ben- No, Kylo Ren, his hand balled into a fist, clutching at something as he knelt to the floor.  
He glanced up, almost surprised to see her there, and she noticed the flicker in his eyes go from surprise to anger. Anger...and something else. Hurt? Betrayal?

They simply stared at one another for a moment, both filled with so much to say, yet they remained silent.

He felt the shift in her, she was building up courage to speak. He wanted badly to scoff at that, to laugh at the thought of this girl, the scavenger, being courageous.  
But deep down, he knew. He knew too well that she courageous, and so much more. He would never admit that though. Especially after she denied him, refused his offer, refused his care, refused _him_.

He watched as she timidly crept towards him, only a foot away now as she towered over him. His finger twitched towards his lightsaber that hung at his hip.

"Ben," she whispered, almost the same way she had back in the throne room after they defeated Snoke and his guards. It felt unreal. "Come with me." she demanded. He noted the tears that threatened to leak. Kylo stared blankly at Rey, barely blinking up at her.

With shaking hands, Rey knelt down and reached to cup his face. He reared his head back, yanking away from her touch before she succeeded. Rey gulped.

"No. You are the one that denied me. You are the one that left." Kylo bit. Rey winced at his tone.

"You asked me to join you, to stand at your side, to choose your path and turn around to assist you kill my friends?" She returned his tone, growing frustrated, felling disappointment settle deep within her.

"I offered you the galaxy. I offered you all the power, I offered to bow at your rule!" Kylo bellowed, he was shaking now, fighting the urge to pull his lightsaber on her, knowing that in the end it would do nothing.

"That is nothing I want! Those people on this ship? Those are my friends, people I consider my family! Your **mother** apart of that!" She yelled. and the last part of it sat with Kylo as he glared at her.

She inhaled deeply, calling to the force for patience to help calm her. Again, they were silent. Rey stared at Kylo's boot.

Clearing her throat and trying to blink the tears away, Rey said, "Ben, I can feel this. Whatever this is between us, I can feel it. Admit to me why you wanted me to join you. Tell me what we both know." She begged.

Rey met his gaze, which surprisingly had softened at her words as he realized what she was asking of him. She wanted him to admit his feelings. _Hadn't he already though?_ he thought. _Was it not enough?_

"Say it." Rey beckoned, repeating the words he had said to her numerous times now. How could a girl cause so much chaos in the entire galaxy?

Kylo swallowed. She had bested him before. He had offered her everything. And she...she refused him! She would do it again. **_No_**. He had to make sure it would never happen again.  
He was the Supreme Leader now. She made her choice... And now, he must make his.

"You are nothing." he said. Kylo let the words linger between them, and offered nothing else. For a moment, Kylo noticed anger flash in her eyes, so quickly, so fiercely, and it was gone.

He expected her to yell, to turn and leave. He expected anything and everything but not for her to _chuckle_. To **laugh** in his face.

"You know, I can feel you lying. I can feel it, through our connection, I can feel how raw the lie is." she smiled as she glanced down, but tears still trickled down her cheek.

She stood now, and walked back to the Falcon. Standing as well, he watched, eager for whatever else she had to say.

She stopped walked once she reached the ramp of the ship, and turned her face to the left just enough for him to hear. "I wish knowing that it's a lie was enough."

Kylo stood, saying nothing. Of course she knew it was a cover. Of course. Her connection with the force and her abilities were only getting better, at a very surprising rate, he noted. Skywalker taught her well in the small amount of time they had.

Rey was now on the ship, her hand hovering over the button to shut the doors. But before she pushed it, Rey watched Kylo. And he watched Rey.

She had hope in her eyes, and for a moment, she swore he had the same look.

No. No matter what, this wouldn't be the end. She knew what he felt for her. It was strong, it was protectiveness, it was a sense of compassion, it was something similar to love.  
This was not _Kylo_ to her. This was **Ben**. This was the lonesome man that would be her partner, her mate. She had seen it. So why wasn't this playing out like her vision?

She decided, watching him, that she would not give up.

And frighteningly, she knew he would not give up getting her to join the dark side either.

With that, she closed the doors to the Falcon, and turned to offer support to her friends, of course, after taking a moment to shed a few tears, feeling the emptiness return as she left Ben on Crait.

Rey closed the door the damn ship he hated seeing. She was _leaving_ him, _again_. And the scavenger truly believed that he would be joining her in the light once day.  
He reset his jaw, trying to ease the tension. She was ruining absolutely everything for him.

He is the Supreme Leader now. He is the ruler of the galaxy, and everything in it.

But when Rey closed the door and their connection dropped, he felt a wave of loneliness.

Scoffing, he brushed the feeling away. He was trained well enough to know that these feelings were a mere weakness.

"Supreme Leader?" a stormtrooper hesitantly called from the entrance of the room. Kylo whipped around, and stood tall, giving permission to continue. "What's left of the Resistance took off on a ship. Shall we pass along orders to follow them?"

For a moment, Kylo thought. Would it be worth it to follow the scavenger and her group of thieves and traitors? What would he do once he had her?

"No. Not yet. We need to regroup, prepare my ship and link Hux to my com. I need to speak with him."

The trooper nodded and briskly left the room, leaving Kylo alone once again. He glanced down at his balled up fist, opening it to look at his fathers dice, the ones he admired when he was just a boy sitting in the pilot seat of the Falcon.

The corner of Kylo's lip twitched with the memory, and quickly, very quickly, stopped as the dice faded away into nothing.

He blinked, and for a moment willed it to come back, yet nothing happened.

Kylo slammed his fist in the nearest wall, and huffed as he stormed his way back to his ship. _Why was he so mad_? Ah... because he had also felt himself will Rey to come back just a moment ago, and again, nothing happened.

Back among the stars, both lost souls stared at the nearest moon, so close,so distant. They hought of one another, thought of when the next time they will see each other, knowing deep down that it very well may end in the death of each other, or both.

Secretly, they truly hoped it wouldn't.


	2. Chapter 2

**Three weeks.**

It had been an agonizing three weeks and two days since she had last seen Ben. There was part of her that felt ashamed for wanting his presence, almost needing it.  
She reminded herself that she was not alone, no matter how she felt. She had Poe, Finn, and dearest Rose. They offered her comfort and friendship, something she had never experience while on Jakku, in fact, anywhere really.

And knowing this, she still felt the pit of her stomach turn, knowing well that is not what she truly wanted. There was something there, something her friends couldn't understand, it was as if they sugar coated life itself at times. They were almost _too_ positive. Rey scoffed at this, not being able to believe how cruel she was being.

 **No**.

Why was she acting like this? They were her friends, and positivity is what the Resistance needs, what _Rey_ needs.

With a shake of her head, Rey switched to her other side, restless in bed. She shut her eyes tight, and willed herself to sleep, yet nothing happened. She sighed. She _should_ be happy.  
She **needed** to be happy.

The last few weeks she had tried testing the connection, yet whenever she felt the bond grow closer to connecting, she was met with a block, almost static energy. She could feel him pushing her away, and she knew deep down that if she truly wanted to push her way in, she could. They were still working out the kinks of the bond, with it being new to both of them, it was very hard to handle.

Rey felt tears in the back of her lids. No. She did not want to cry, not about this. She focused again on settling her thoughts and sleeping again.  
' _Keep your eyes closed, and stop thinking_.' she thought.

Stop thinking...  
Stop...

She shivered. How odd...she was absolutely warm...Completely warm actually, now that she thought about it. Something shook her bed.  
She peaked through one eye, and instantly sat up with a gasp,her hand shooting to her hip for her lightsaber that was not there.

Right. It was _**broken**_.

Her body stilled, her breath caught.

Next to her lay Kylo Ren, the man she thought of just moments ago. He was sleeping, his shirt off, wrapped around in a black satin sheet. His black, wavy hair curled around his face, lips slightly parted, his brows furrowed.

He was scared. She could feel it, so intently that it added to her own shock and made her heart freeze. He was having a nightmare.

"Ben?" Rey whispered, his name rolling off her time as if she had said it a million times.

His body thrashed against the bed, and his hand shot into the air, pushing whatever his mind haunted him with.

Rey bit her lip, her breathing coming harder now. The fear was **_radiating_** off of him, she nearly wanted to run away, but she couldn't. She couldn't just leave him...

Timidly, she pushed into his mind.

She saw red, she saw blood. So much of it.

Bodies lay in piles throughout a foreign land, the trees and flowers all brown with decay. She could hear screaming in the distance, children crying. The mix of it made her want to sob, to run and help, to run and _hide_.

She gasped again, backing out of his nightmare. She had no idea what to do, but deep instinct told her to lay her hand on his arm, and once she did, she felt electricity run through her veins and into his, they were connected again, deeper somehow, on a platform of warmth and peace, a silent calm enveloping them into their bond. The tension left his body, his head relaxed onto his pillow as Kylo's breathing slowed.

It felt so ... _intimate_. It was exotic to Rey, who had never experience such closeness to another before. The light she felt within her transferred to Ben, and she felt the same wave of hope and purpose that was shown to her in the vision back on Ach-To. She marveled in it. Was she giving him her light? If so, would that mean-

In the pit of her soul, of her being, she felt a rumble of power, a thrill of darkness.

She quickly took her hand back, shocked. It meant that she absorbed his dark side, even if for a moment, it _happened_.

She looked at Ben's face, whom was now in a relaxed state of sleep, no longer stressed under his nightmare.

Rey looked away, unsure of what this meant. She had so many questions, with no one to really ask. Luke was gone. And though the General told her that Masters can come in a Padawan's time of need, he had yet to show.

She glanced back at Ben, admiring his face, her eyes following the trail of the scar she had left him. Rey felt warmth cover her belly, nerve endings coming alive in places she had not given thought to.

Was she attracted to his battle scars? ... Was this the dark?... Or was she being naive?

She shut her eyes for a moment, attempting to convince herself that she had not given any of her light in exchange for his dark. It couldn't have happened.

She opened her eyes again, wanting to curl into him, to absorb his warmth, to ask him the questions that teased and tormented her mind, to learn the ins and outs of his mind and of the force.

But when she looked beside her, he was gone, and the bond was broken.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been such a long time.

Rey shook her head. No, it was weeks. Months? Yes, that's what Finn taught her. Months. Seven to be exact.

Seven months since she had seen him, seen her friend, her mate. Her supposed partner.

She sighed, yelling at herself internally. She couldn't think like that! What she saw back on Ach-to when she and... **him** touched hands, it was a vision. A dream. It couldn't have been real she decided.

This man was not the partner she had envisioned. He was truly her enemy. He was hunting her, her and her friends. This was a game to him and it wouldn't end until he was satisfied with her death. She could feel that.

Rey wiped the sweat of her forehead and bent to pick up her staff that lay on the ground. It was a hot, sticky day outside, and she was in the forest training by herself, her staff giving a helpless tree the beating of it's life.

She was indeed correct, it had been seven long months since her and Kylo Ren had their last connection when he had a nightmare, and she possibly shed light to him. She sensed him actively putting up a wall between them, and she decided to do the same after a month of trying to speak with him since that night.

He was the Supreme Leader now, the galaxy's own devil, the bringer of death, the cause of destruction, the prince of darkness. She had to continue telling herself this, to remind her that the dreams and visions were nothing but her own imagination.

She was truly tired of thinking of this, of thinking what could be if only he would allow it. After weeks of pondering about his rejection, and hers, she came to the conclusion that she was meant to be alone, and she meant to not have answers to these questions that beat her down.

She couldn't let any distractions get in the way of her helping the Resistance grow again.

At that, she smiled. When they had left Crait, the entire group fit on the Millennium Falcon, sitting at only 30 people. And now, they had grown to nearly five hundred.

Rey had never been around so many hopeful and positive people, all wanting to achieve something great and help one another do so.

 _'Leia has built something wonderful._ ' she thought, smiling again. The general had grown to become a dear friend, a confidant. Though she was often busy, Leia always took the time out to check in with Rey. After Han and Luke's passing, Rey needed it, and she sensed that the princess did as well.

Rey felt the familiar sadness touch her heart. She ached to speak to them both again, even if for only a few words. She had grown so fond of them, Han's free spirit and Luke's stubborn attitude.

Deep down, she knew she had to keep fighting and training to make them proud, and to win this battle, not only for her friends and the resistance, but for the galaxy.

Gathering her things, Rey made her way back to the base, keeping to herself as she passed a few others talking about the event that night. ' _Ah, yes,_ ' Rey thought, ' _the wedding_!'.

She smiled to herself, and the reminder put a kick in her step. That night, the entire resistance base will be celebrating the wedding of Finn and Rose, her dearest friends. She had to admit, she was quite excited with this being her first big event. She had never attended such a thing, and the excitement was new to her. She admitted, shyly, that part of the excitement was the distraction of it all.

Looking up from the ground, she entered the base, the giant hall they used for meetings had been cleared out for the reception tonight. Rey had never seen it look so empty and decorated. Flowers and lanterns filled every space, every member here assigning themselves a task to help transform the room for the ceremony.

Her excitement grew and distracted her so much that she barely noticed General Organa and Poe Dameron join her at her side.

"Quite a renovation, isn't it?" Leia asked Rey, nudging her arm as she smiled at her.

Rey returned her greeting with a grin of her own. "Yes, quite." She turned to Poe, who was watching her with a smile, waiting eagerly for acknowledgement. She offered him a smile and his grew.

Over the past few months, Poe had grown close with Rey, so he thought. They were able to teach each other a bit, him trading information about flying and her trading knowledge about the force.

He had noted how she took time out every single day to train with her staff, and to attempt to read passages from the jedi texts she had taken from Luke Skylwalker. Poe had tried to help her read the old books, but it was very smudged and the writing was very foreign to him. He didn't give up though, being around her was thrilling to him. Rey challenged him, she was not afraid to say how she felt. He admired her for it, and because of that, he was desperate for more time with her, to grow closer to her, more than just a friend.

Leia noticed how Poe fawned over the young woman, and she cleared her throat so that Poe wouldn't push his luck. The general had very much taken into account Poe's growing feelings for Rey, but she knew Rey's mind was on bigger topics.

"Rey, I was hoping to speak with you for a moment." Leia started, sending a worrisome glance to Poe, who's smile faded as he realized the conversation they were about to have. "Our allies in Mo-Safte captured an arms dealer for the First Order who was selling information about our base. I believe we caught him before he was able to leak anything. He had younglings with him, though. Three near your age actually."

Rey was listening intently, waiting for whatever Leia was about to ask of her. The three of them began to walk down the hall, Poe taking lead, growing impatient.

"Basically, we think it would be great if you trained them. They have their own skill, but you could make them better. I've seen how you train." He said, stopping in front of Rey, staring at her with hope.

Rey remembered the last time a man looked at her with a flicker of hope in his eye.

She quickly brushed the memory away, an ache hitting her heart like a ton of bricks.

"Of course, you don't need to do this if you aren't comfortable. These young ones are quite loyal to us, it seems they're relationship with the First Order has been cut for a very long time. They were the ones who sold out the dealer." The general informed.

Rey thought for a moment. "But, how are you sure?" she asked.

"Rey, these are younglings with no home. No family, no friends. I may not be extremely force sensitive these days, but I can still sense the light in people, and I can see and feel the light in these ones just as I did with you." Leia said. And just like that, Rey's decision was made. For this woman, the one who took her in, she would do anything.

Rey nodded, and Leia smiled. "Thank you. We'll meet with them tomorrow. Today is a time for celebrating Finn and Rose. Have you seen them by the way?"

"Relax, General. I'm sure they will make it to the alter." Poe winked at Leia as he walked away. "I, however, need to get to the showers. I will see you both tonight. Oh, and Rey?" Poe asked, turned on his heel to face them again. "Save me a dance?" Again, he grinned at Rey, and left in a hurry.

Rey felt the blush creep up from her neck, to her ears, and covering her cheeks. Never had a man asked her to a dance. She wasn't even sure if she knew how to. She sighed, glancing to Leia, who was studying the girls face with a knowing, yet thinned smile.

"The man is a charmer. Just like Han…" Leia's voice drifted, and her eyes flashed with pain before she composed herself again, standing tall. It reminded Rey so much of Ben.

"Anyway, I had C3-PO lay out an outfit for you for tonight. Please, wear it." She told Rey before she could object, though out of respect, Rey didn't. "You know, I had always thought about having a girl. I would picture her to be a strong and brave, adventurous woman. You, Rey, are a mirror of that." The Princess admitted. Rey had never been told such a nice thing before, and she nearly asked Leia to repeat them. Rey knew she would forever carry the words with her.

People passed by them, eager to get to their tasks, smiles and laughter filling the room as Leia and Rey talked in hushed tones.

"We still do not need to get into what happened on Crait. I know you told me how Ben defeated Snoke himself, and his offer to you. I can feel there is more. You have offered so much and done so much for the Resistance, I can't ask any more of you. But I want you to know, I am here if you need to talk, Rey, and I'm sorry my son isn't the person we need right now." The words took Rey by surprise, she was utterly shocked.

She did indeed tell Leia what had happened, though she left out the force bond she had with Ben. Rey found it useless to tell her now that the bond was blocked for the most part. She wanted so badly to ask Leia about transferring the light and dark to people, but she didn't want to scare her.

Her heartbeat returned when Leia gave a gentle squeeze to Rey's arm and left her standing there, thinking of what she had said to her.

One, as of tomorrow, Rey would be a trainer, something she could not wrap her head around. However, there was a part of Rey that was thrilled at the thought of new confidants. She had to quickly push aside the thought of the thrill being part of having a sense of control , of power.

' ** _No, that was not it!_** ' she told herself. This is for Leia, for the Resistance.

With that said, Rey thought some more.

Two, Leia said Ben isn't the person we need right now.

With hope, Rey left to her chambers.

' _Maybe, one day, he will be_.'

"Ren- sir, we are at the threshold."

"Good. Prepare my ship. I will be going alone." Kylo Ren ordered to General Hux.

"But, what-I mean, Supreme Leader, we can't let y-" His response was stopped when Kylo turned towards him, his hand cupped around nothing as he force choked the general.

"I said, prepare my ship! I will be going alone, and that is the end of it." He swiftly let Hux fall to the ground, his face now red as he struggled to catch his breath.

With that, Kylo turned on his heel, leaving the room.

'The Supreme Leader.' Kylo thought. 'They will see a true leader indeed..


	4. Chapter 4

Several hours had passed, and it was time to get ready. Rey was in her small room now , thankful to Leia for giving her her own space. With so many people added to the Resistance, it was hard to get your own room, especially one with it's own washroom.

Freshly showered, she went to her bed where her outfit lay. Picking it up, she examined it.

It was silver, with lots of sequins covering it, with only two skinny straps to lay on her shoulders. The front will dip between her breasts very deep, and form into a 'V' in her midsection. It was long, and the back of it hung extremely low, she assumed it would reveal her entire back and sit right above her bum.

She felt a blush creep up her neck again. Never had she worn such a thing, but she could not deny how beautiful the dress was.

On the bed lay an sapphire, crystal necklace, and staring it, she felt it almost hum to her. Shaking the feeling away, she glanced to the right at the black laced sandals that lay next to the necklace. For that, Rey was thankful. She knew the higher heeled shoes girls wore, they looked painful and she definitely did not want to put up with that through the night.

An hour later, she was ready. Her hair had dried, and she braided one side and let the other fall past her shoulders now that it was getting longer. She had the necklace on, which complimented her eyes and pink lips, and the dress…

 _The dress_ …

The dress itself looked amazing. It snug to every curve, it did indeed hang low between her breasts and left her back bare.

Staring at the dress on her in the mirror started to make her feel sick. She felt so out of place in this thing, the dress was not like her at all, but compared to what every one else was wearing, it was nothing. Every at the base went all out for the event, and Finn and Rose deserved it. It was more of a ball then a wedding or event.

' _Yes, for Finn and Rose._ ' Rey thought. She sighed, and moved away from the mirror, wishing the night woul-

The silence stung the air, a vibrating buzz shook through her body.

She froze, her heart stopped, her breath hitched.

 _The bond._

 _Ben._

Rey slowly turned around, and there he stood, in the corner of her room. He was dressed in his usual black outfit, but his cape was thicker. It looked… _royal_.

His hair was black fire around his face.

Her lips parted, begging to say something, anything, yet nothing came out.

His eyes devoured her entire being, raking up from her bare feet, studying the dress with such intent that made her knees weak, moving up to the 'V' of her dress, up her neck and for a moment they rest on the necklace before moving to her face, and now, her eyes.

Kylo took it all in. He wasn't sure what he expected, but it was not this. He was well informed that there would be some sort of celebration tonight, though he wasn't sure what the occasion was. He didn't care. He had the entire Resistance in the palm of his hand, and all he had to do tonight was crush it, crush **them**.

But, again, here the scavenger was, distracting him, the Supreme Leader.

"I will make this quick-" he began until Rey interrupted him.

"Why are you here? Why now?" Rey asked, her arms crossing over her chest. She suddenly felt exposed. Very exposed. And the way her watched her, the way his eyes never left hers, made her body warm.

"You, scavenger, do not get to ask questions here. I answer to no one-"

"Right, because you killed your master, why? What was the goal here?"

"Quiet! I came to show you what has happe-" He glared at her.

"Nothing has happened besides us gaining new allies and you denying your future!" She yelled at him. Shocking her, he quickly stalked towards her, backing her into the corner of her room. He towered over her, she had to crane her neck back just to keep her eyes on him. She refused to be frightened of him, yet physically, even he could see she was.

Kylo smirked. She was still so naïve.

His voice dropped, almost silky as he spoke. "I can feel it too, remember? Rey, I know you transferred light to me that night. I felt it, even in the morning when I woke. Stop denying your power, stop holding on."

He was so close now, his sweet breath hitting her face. She could see every line on his face, every speck in his hazel eyes.

His gaze raked down her neck and chest, and back up meeting her eyes.

She looked truly divine, and he pictured her just like this by his side as they ruled together.

Sensing that her defenses were down, he peered into her mind, surprised that her guard was _**completely**_ diminished. He felt her warmth, he felt the need, the crave. It instantly drove his nerves mad. He could see that this was a new feeling for her. Was she really that inexperienced? Kylo questioned.

"I..I don't know what…" Rey was stumbling now, tripping over the thoughts in her mind. It was confusing having him so close when he distanced himself for so long. She was surprised when he had mentioned the last time they had connected, and that he felt what she did. She wanted so desperately to ask him questions, to find out when he knew about the whole ordeal, but she could not think to save her life. And he was only getting closer…And closer…she felt his arm snake around her waist, forgetting that her back was bare in this dress.

When he sucked in a breath of air, she guessed he wasn't expecting it.

"Ben…" she trailed off, her eyes closing as his face neared hers.

She had seen this on Jakku. Of course she knew what a kiss was. She just never experienced it herself… Never thought that it would be this delicious, and they barely even touched.

"Rey…' Kylo whispered, his bottom lip lightly touching hers as he spoke. Her lips moved to meet his, but he moved away from her. Rey's eyes opened, lazily, dreamlike almost. When she finally gained her composure again, she was angry, angry at him.

He was in the corner, standing there as if he had never moved, his fist balled…

And it dawned on her that it was a mind trick.

Her cheeks flushed, her blood running cold as she glared at him.

"How dare you!" She yelled, stomping towards him. She raised her hand, and he mirrored her, but she was faster, and in the moment she was more powerful. She pushed him with such force that his skin stung. His body hit the wall of his ship, and his hand was instantly wrapped around the hilt of his lightsaber.

When he looked back up, Rey was gone and the bond was broken.

He tried cooling down, tried to catch his breath.

This damn scavenger knew how to rile him up.

Thinking of her in the dress, he decided she knew how to rile him up in many ways.

He glanced down at his fist, opening it to reveal the emerald necklace.

It was his mothers necklace.

It was her last piece of kyber crystal.


	5. Chapter 5

Her hands were shaking, she wanted to scream but did not want to alarm the others. She truly couldn't believe what had happened.

Rey shook her head, wetting her face from the faucet in her washroom trying to cool herself down. Glancing at herself in the mirror, she noticed the necklace she was wearing was no longer there. She looked around the room, on the floor, on the bed, but it was nowhere to be found. She remembered the attractive hum it gave when she looked at it. ' _It truly is beautiful_...' she thought.

Not giving it more thought she shrugged it off and told herself she would find it later.

She sighed. If anything, she had even more questions now. She thought about how she was able to to push **him** , reaching him even through the bond. Rey felt her anger reach a new level, having been mind tricked.

"Stars... It felt so real." Rey muttered to herself as she sat on the edge of her bed, feeling extremely defeated. She thought about the past times Kylo Ren had crossed her, couting the times he has tried to kill her, tried to use her, tried to persuade and trick her.

Her blood was beginning to boil. Reaching up, she began to rub the back of her neck to relieve tension.

It didn't work.

Sighing heavily, she stood, hiking her dress up to her waist and moving to sit cross legged on the floor. Rey decided meditation may help, and if not, at least she could try.

Closing her eyes, she allowed her mind to clear until she was able to focus on the grey. It was a place neither light or dark existed, the place where she found comfort and balance. She could feel the force take over, guiding her being, making her as light as a feather and as steady as a stream.

'Yes' she thought. ' _This_ is peace.'.

Throughout the force she felt the colors of life spring to action, the beautifully aching hum of decay surrounding it.

She focused only on the colors, on life itself.  
The dark greens of trees, and their browning stumps.  
The orange and pink flowers that bloomed beneath the suns gaze.  
The blue and white of the surrounding sky.  
And the red... The red...

 **Red**.

The color itself brought a flurry of visions to Rey's mind.  
Red salt from Crait.  
Red roses from the reception hall.  
Red lightsabers clashing against her own.

Snoke's throne room.

Red filled nightmares.

And in the middle of it all stood a boy with innocent hazel eyes, shaggy black hair and pink cheeks. He turned to look directly up at Rey, his eyes widening.

The boy did not look at Rey as if she was a stranger, but a friend.

This boy trusted her.

In this vision, they stood together in the middle of the forest she trained at, but the clear and bright skies were replaced with a dark grey one, the wind thrashing every tree around, breaking branches that held on for dear life.

The boy was still not frightened, looking at Rey knowingly. She guessed he must be about seven or eight years old. He offered a shy smile that she easily recognized, and she smiled back.

When she was about to ask who he was, the boy said: "You will be the one to turn. You'll stand with me... Rey, I saw who your parents are."

Rey's smile vanished, and her own eyes widened with horror as she realized that these were the words Ben Solo spoke to her before.

Gasping, Rey broke away from her meditation and quickly opened her eyes to see that the books, tools, her shoes and other little belongings in her room were levitating in the air. As she registered her shock, everything fell to the floor.

A loud and sudden knock at her door made her jump, and hurried to stand, fixing her dress and trying to slow her heartbeat.

She could hear BB-8 from the other side telling her that Rose is asking for her.

"Uh...y-yes, I'll be right there!" Rey stammered. She rushed to the bathroom, putting her sandals on in a hurry.

Checking the mirror to make sure her hair was in place and her face left no trace of worry, she froze for the quickest moment.

She could have sworn her eyes looked ... _**yellow**_...even for a second...  
She shook her head. She knew it was impossible. It has already been a very long night and it was only getting started.

Inhaling deeply, she steadied herself, and cast aside all her own worries to go tend to her friend.

Back on his ship, Kylo Ren sat silently in the pilot's seat, thinking of the events that took place just a little while ago.

It had not been his intention to let things go so far with Rey. However, once he saw the kyber crystal was in her possession, he had to do something, anything, to get it. If she had succeeded in fixing the broken lightsaber, she would no doubt grow stronger with the force.

And even she did, then what? If she came to him with intent to kill, would he kill her before she could?

He glared out into the dark space that surrounded him as his mind replayed the last moment he shared with his father. Kylo thought that would be his challenge, to murder his greatest weakness, to destroy the love he carried still, to numb himself of the life he had before, and with doing so, become something great. If he killed Rey, would he feel great? Was she a weakness to him? Killing his father made him feel... Kylo shut his eyes.

It only destroyed him more, filling him with regret and sorrow. Even in his moment of death, his father still held love in his eyes.

Kylo gulped, stopping the memory as it came.

He would not dwell on this, he decided. ' _What's done is done. It can not be taken back_. '

Shifting in his seat, he felt a sudden pressure in his mind.

He froze.

Something… No, _someone_ , was shuffling through his mind, probing his memories but only taking bits of it. His lightsaber, the throne room, his recurring nightmare filled with blood.

Kylo saw only flashes of these memories, but he felt an unfamiliar forest surround him, the harsh wind blowing his hair back even as he sat in his own ship. Debris flew around, making his eyes squint and it became harder for him to see anything. But, he was able to hear, "You will be the one to turn. You'll stand with me... Rey, I saw who your parents are."

His breathing fastened. It was his words, but not his voice. Something similar…something… _familiar_ reached out to him through this vision…or was it a dream?

Shortly after, he felt Rey's presence, and it abruptly left.

Turning around, he was met with a youngling gazing up at him, her hair dark brown and her eyes stubborn but curious. Kylo glanced around, unable to see anything through the approaching storm.

"I saw your future…Just the shape of it, but solid, and clear! You'll turn…" she said, hopeful, stepping closer to Kylo. He stepped back, unbelieving of what he was hearing. It was the exact same thing the scavenger had told him before he defeated Snoke, and doing as she had said. 'Not bowing before him.'

The youngling smiled, placing a small hand on his wrist. "I'll help you." She said.

Kylo glanced down at the touch. It was warm, and calming. Just as Rey's… the storm around them receded, the wind stopping. They were now surrounded by a beautiful sunset, one that he would have admired when he was younger. The air was clean, trees and flowers springing to life around them. This is not anything he had ever envisioned. This was Rey, and this is what she always seemed to project. _**Light**_.

He thought back to their last encounter, and how he was able to bring out her own version of the dark side, anger and betrayal motivating it to show it's ugly head. With this thought, the storm returned, black clouds hovering over every inch of the forest they stood in.

He moved to meet the young one's gaze, and was met with a dark, and very cold look. The girls features were melting away, purple circles forming around her now yellow eyes, her mouth losing the friendly smile and now providing a disgustingly mean snarl.

"I'll help you!" She screamed. He threw her off of his wrist, and she flew back, and just like that he was back in his ship, out of this dream-like vision, far away from the girl he was… _frightened_ of.

 _Yes_ , he was actually **frightened** of her.

The girl he saw, the one who was a mirror of the chaotic scavenger he has been on the hunt for, was an avid user of the dark side, and it took over her completely.

He cursed out loud, quickly taking a glove off of his hand and wiping his forehead from the sweat that clung there.

Kylo looked towards the right of his console, where the necklace lay. He wasn't sure what any of this meant, but he knew that the decision to either hide the crystal or to give it back would help determine Rey's move to the light or dark, and it would assist in pushing her deeper into whatever she chose.

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who is reading and liking this story! I truly do appreciate it. I have big plans for this story and I am excited to share. Obviously I do not own Star Wars (Though it would be amazing if I did..), and I try to follow the story line and personality traits the best I can, however I do feel I must change things up to, of course, add my own spin on things.

Again, thank you readers! And also, I **LOVE** comments... :)


	6. Chapter 6

"I mean, of course I'm excited. It's just a very big step. It's not too fast is it?" Rose asked, staring at herself in the mirror.

Rey was staring off into the distance, thinking about her recent…vision. She still was not sure what to call it, and whatever it was, shook her to her core.

It had been a while since she had given thought to her parents. Back on Jakku, she thought of them every single moment of every day. She had so much hope for their return, looking at the face of every person who stumbled their way onto the forgotten planet, wanting so desperately for one of them to be something she could recognize.

However, no one ever came for her. For years she was alone, taking care of herself, fighting for herself, scavenging for herself.

' _That's right…Because I'm a_ _ **scavenger**_.' Rey thought to herself. It was all for nothing, all the waiting and hoping. Her parents were there the entire time, buried in a pauper's grave, having been no one to the outside world, but everything to the young Rey.

"Rey?" Rose asked, now at Rey's side, touching her shoulder. Rey jumped back to reality, and looked to her friend, giving her a wide smile that Rose did not believe to be genuine.

"I'm sorry. I have a bit on my mind, but that is not a discussion for today." Rey replied, and shamefully, she pressed Rose's mind, unbeknownst to her, for the question she had asked. "No, it's not too fast. You and Finn compliment each other extremely well, I can feel the pull you have to one another. You're both the soul the other needs." Glancing to the ground, Rey found this to be very true. There were times she had watched Finn and Rose together, their complicated beings aching for peace and finding it in one another. They were both fiercely devoted to the Rebellion, but Rey could feel the want they both shared to be over with the war and move on with their life.

This time, Rey offered a smile that Rose returned, feeling that this one was real, and immediately Rose's hesitations and worries washed away. She returned to the large mirror and Rey watched her, admiring the way Rose's dressed looked. It was a white dress, the white laced sleeves clinging to her small arms, the dresses trail coming down to below her knee. It wasn't a crazy dress, but it was very much Rose, Rey decided.

"Alright. I think I'm ready." Rose turned to Rey, blushing and grinning.

BB-8 came into the room, rolling out numerous beeps that both girls took as a whistle. Rey chuckled.

"I agree. You look stunning, Rose." She said, standing now. Rose looked at her in shock.

"I do? What about you! You dress is amazing! I feel under dressed compared to your outfit and everyone elses!" she exclaimed, making Rey blush now.

"Leia asked…well, ordered me to wear this. No one can really say no to her." Rey looked to the floor, shyly, and Rose nodded knowingly. Both girls smiled. It was extremely hard to say no to the general after all she had done.

BB-8 whistled again, followed by him flipping out a small claw that held a little white box. Rose took it, grinning. Opening it, she pulled out a patch that belonged on Finn's jacket. Rey wasn't sure the meaning, but she knew that this little patch meant something to Rose as she watched her hold it close to her chest and smiled lovingly. Rose's eyes lit up as she grabbed something from her vanity and turned to Rey.

"Oh! I almost forgot. Can you take this to Finn?" Rose asked, handing Rey a brown, carved box. It fit in Rey's hand perfectly, and she took a moment to study the etched design on the lid of the box.

"A present?" Rey asked, holding the light box up.

Rose nodded. "It's tradition, apparently. He'll know." She said. Rey smiled and nodded, taking the gift to go to Finn's room, leaving the bride to be alone, smiling as her friend hummed a happy tune that she could hear all the way down the hall.

It was difficult getting to Finn's chambers, numerous members of the resistance had stopped to quiz her about the special task Leia had for her tomorrow, and others commenting about how good she looked. By the time she reached her friend's room, she was annoyed and sick of blushing. She had never been complimented so much. It made her ache for her regular sand-toned bandages and staff. This one of the times she wanted to return to Jakku, to just hide.

Rey rolled her eyes and reminded herself that she would never return there, nor should she want to.

With her hand raised to knock, Rey cleared her throat to gain her composure again, and before she could catch her breath, the door opened wide and she was being pulled into the room by her hand.

She smiled, remembering that this was how Finn insisted on leading her when they first met. She still did not like it, but it was a fond memory.

"Well, hello to you too." She chuckled as she stood in the middle of his small room. It was not as big as hers, and a part of her felt bad for it.

"Did she get the present? Did she like it? Were you there?" Finn sat on the corner of his bed, looking up at her. He was dressed very well, just missing the jacket for his tux, and Rey knew Rose would be satisfied if Finn showed up in his normal wear. She smiled at him.

She could feel the wave of anticipation and nervousness rolling off of him in waves, crashing into one another. This was her friend indeed, the jittery rebel.

"She loved it. And she sent me with something in return." Rey handed him the box, and it she watched as it caught Finn by surprise. He took the box in his hand, admiring it just as she did. Sitting next to him, she waited for the reveal of what is inside.

He sat there, though, staring at the box, and she was hit with another wave of his anxiety. She sighed heavily, realizing that his feelings were making her nauseous.

'Maybe I can calm him… Like the dream…' she thought.

Channeling the force, making sure to focus on the good, on the light, she placed a small hand softly on his shoulder, trying to make sure that she was giving her warmth instead of receiving it. She silenced the atmosphere, stilling even the dust around them, and shifted her thoughts to the side, meditating on warmth. With that, she could feel the calm radiating off of her and quieting his nerves.

Finn's head shot up and looked towards her. She removed her hand, grinning with much satisfaction.

"Wow, how'd you do that?" He asked, amazed. Rey noted his voice sounded lighter, and she could feel he was more at peace than before.

"I… Well, I'm not sure. I tried it once before a long time ago, but I wasn't sure if it would work this time. Finn… Something happened, during my meditation. I'm not sure how, but I felt more… Powerful." Rey said, shifting so that she could look at him more comfortably.

Finn was still her first friend, her closest friend. In the end, he would still be the one she could tell anything to. But she knew that if she were to tell him everything, he be scared. She only hoped that he would be scared _for_ her, and not **of** her.

"Is that a good thing? I mean, I felt so stressed, nervous almost. And you took it all away! I feel great right now. It has to be a good thing." He exclaimed, grinning at her. "Rey, you're going to do great things with this. I know you will." He said. Rey smiled, wanting to tell him more, but now was not the time for it. His reassurance though, was exactly what she needed.

She glanced to the box that was still unopened in his hand, and his attention was brought back to it as well. He gently opened it, revealing the necklace Rose wore very often, one that her sister Paige had a matching side to.

Finn's finger brushed over it. Rey saw that this meant something deep to him, just as his gift to Rose did. She felt a rush of jealousy and curiosity hit her at once. She wondered if she would ever experience this feeling Finn had, of being loved and appreciated, of sharing something so deep.

Her mind swiftly drifted to the bond she shared with Ben.

' _No, with_ _ **Kylo**_ _._ ' She thought. It was not the same, she told herself. He couldn't be Ben Solo to her any longer. ' _He's a snake, a murderer_.' Her mind told her.

Yet her heart, her stupid and stubborn heart, told her to continue keeping Ben alive, and one day, he will return.

Rey couldn't stand the tug of war going on within her. She wished she could be told exactly what she needed to do, and just do it. It would be so much easier. She was simply tired of this fight.

Shaking her head clear, she focused on Finn again, as he undid the top button of his shirt to put the necklace on. Rey offered her help, and he allowed it.

 **'He's a snake, a murderer, a murderous snake. He's the prince, he is darkness, the prince of darkness.** ' Whispers said to her in the back of her mind.

 _'He is lost, he is confused, he needs help. He will be peace, he will be light, he will be your peaceful light._ ' More whispers rushed to her, as if to cover up the ones that were said before.

Clasping the necklace at the back of Finn's neck, she felt her shoulders tense. The war within her didn't stop.

' **Kylo Ren, the Supreme Leader, your king.** '

' _Ben Solo, your teacher, your mate_.'

"Alright. I think I'm ready." Finn said, turning to grin at Rey.

Rey glanced up from the blank stare she was giving the floor, and quickly smiled back at him. Since she had calmed his nerves, he wasn't able to pick up on the worry and torment that lay upon her face.

' **You will fall, he will rise.** '

 _'You will help him return to light_.'

Author's Note:

Woo! 2 chapters for today?! And the day is not over yet! Can I get some love? :)


	7. Chapter 7

Happy faces, some teary eyed, filled the halls with joy. The ceremony went extremely well, the entire rebellion watching as Finn and Rose declared their love and devotion to each other, promising one another their own lives, forever.

When the new bride and groom shared their first kiss as such, the hall broke out into cheers and whistles, people yelling their congrats to the couple.

They were all told to begin moving outside to the back of the base, where it was decorated with twice as many flowers and lanterns, lights strung up between tree branches. Those tasked with clearing out all debris and junk from the yard did a wonderful job, not a spot left uncleansed or undecorated. There was a designated are were the bar sat, people lining up to get their favorite alcoholic drinks that they hadn't enjoyed in a very, very long time, all thanks to Maz Kanata, who had made the journey to the new Resistance base to share in the celebration.

Rey was near the exit, leaning up against the wall as she watched and admired everyone having such a great time. She noted how people flocked to Finn and Rose, giving their wishes, and soon moving onto to speak with General Organa, who sat at the main table with the new couple. She looked absolutely remarkable, dressed in a very big and royal gown, the gold and maroon colors made her glow.

"She looks amazing." Someone said to Rey, and she turned to see Poe was now standing beside her, looking at her with a lopsided smile. His hand was tucked into the back of his pocket, his hair wild. He was dressed in dark colors as well, black dress pants, a white comfortable dress shirt, and black jacket. He looked quite dashing she thought. Rey would have blushed, if her mind wasn't so heavy.

She returned his smile, and nodded. "Yes, she does. I guess she's used to this type of thing though, being a princess and all." Rey replied.

Poe squinted his eyes for a second, glancing down and back up to meet her eyes. "Well, she too. But I was actually talking about you." He smiled, his white teeth gleaming.

This time, Rey did blush. She wanted to roll her eyes but knew it would be rude. Her skin was agitated from the blushing tonight, and she wondered if she would get used to being called these things.

"Thank you, Poe. You look dashing yourself." She said, and his smile widened.

After a moment of silence, Poe asked, "So, want a drink?" he nodded towards the bar where people were laughing and cheering.

Rey glanced over, curiosity pouring out of her. She had never had such a drink, but she knew it made people loopy. Part of her was scared of it, but it looked fun.

"Well, I've never…" she trailed, feeling slightly embarrassed. Rey was very comfortable admitting to Finn that she didn't know this or that, and he never made her feel insecure about it. Being on Jakku, Rey had to become her own teacher, and that was very hard. She was able to pick up on some books here and there, but she didn't know only knew how to live, how to scavenge, to get on day by day.

 _To survive._

And when it came to the sacred Jedi texts, it was harder. Rey could decipher some words from there, but a lot of the time the writing was either smudged or written in a language she couldn't understand. But the words called to her. A few months ago, when she had enough of being frustrated, she went to Finn to ask for help, but he was too busy assisting Rose plan the wedding.

She understood, and that's when she ran into Poe, who had overheard her needing help. He was able to provide some help, but not much. Rey was still thankful, and since then, had taken a liking to him.

However now, she was not sure why she felt embarrassed to admit she didn't know much of this drink.

"Oh! Well it can be good. You may not like the ale, but they do have a spiked punch that is a good alternative. Why don't we-" and Poe was cut off, having been hit in the knee by the one and only Maz.

"Get away from the girl, you charming fool. Go fetch my boyfriend will you?" She asked, giving him a knowing smile. Poe smiled back at her, knowing he was caught trying to swoon Rey, but she had no idea of this.

"Chewie's at the bar with BB-8. Even you can see him from here." He teased.

Maz chuckled and smacked his leg again. "I said go fetch him. I'm sure all that flying about hasn't damaged your ears that much!" She said. He chuckled again, and glanced at Rey, who was watching the exchange with amusement. He winked at her and left the women.

"Oh, my dear, let us sit." Maz said. Rey slowly led her to a stoned bench away from the party, where they sat beneath a tree lit with strung lights. Maz studied Rey's face, and Rey allowed her.

"I can see the trouble you are in, I can smell it from a mile away, young one. What has happened?"

Rey swallowed, unsure of what she said, and how she should say it. She was so thankful Maz was here. Because of this odd woman, Rey was able to discover a path for her destiny, though it may be filled with rubble and dust, she was still able to find a sense of where she was supposed to be the first time the pair had met

Rey hoped she could do the same again.

"Maz, I don't know where to begin…"

And with that, it spilled out. Her training with Luke on Ach-To, and how she was pulled to the dark side for just a moment, and the vision that followed. Rey explained what happened with Ben and Snoke, and how he defeated his master and together, his guards.

She told her the idea of transferring light, yet gaining dark, though she did not tell Maz how that came about. Rey let her feelings show about being told her parents were dead, and what that did for her soul.

Rey struggled with the thought of telling Maz about the force bond with Ben, but decided against it.

After taking a moment to think when Rey was finished, Maz sighed. "Oh, my dear child. Trouble you are in, indeed. I knew you were a magnet for it, but oh…" Maz shook her head.

"What of Kylo Ren? Have you had any other interactions with him since killing Snoke?" she asked, making Rey freeze.

The old woman sighed. "Keep your secrets, but they will come out. I may not be a Jedi, but I am force-sensitive. I can feel there is a connection there, my dear. Do not be frightened. There is a reason you showed up when you did, when you left your homeland when you did, and why you and Ben Solo's paths cross so often. Only you will find the true reason for this." Maz explained.

"As for the ability to transfer light, it is a possibility, but Jedi's never practiced this. There was an old tale of a certain Jedi being able to bring a dark force user back to life using the light of the force. But this, I think may be different. I assume, if you are projecting your light onto others, others that are not force-sensitive, it is the same as a mind trick." The last words stung Rey's heart as she remembered Ben's trick earlier.

Maz continued, "However, if you are transferring light onto a dark sider, you must be channeling and absorbing their own dark. Do not mess around with that, Rey." she sternly warned, and for a moment, nearly begged.

Rey thought for a moment. ' _So, I was right._ ' She discovered, her stomach turning. Her body shifted uncomfortably, and Rey couldn't decide if she felt relieved or not. ' _At least I have some answers…At least I'm not crazy here._ '

Glancing back at Maz, she realized she was studying her, reading her like an open book. Immediately and unintentionally, Rey put up a block to stop her, surprising Maz.

"Alright, Maz. Stop hogging the beautiful lady, she owes me a dance." Poe called from behind them, Chewie towering over him. Seeing them, Maz quickly got up from the bench and went to hug him, Chewie nodding and bending down to embrace her.

Rey realized this was the first time they had seen each other since Han's passing. With a sad smile, Rey stood, and Poe offered his arm to her. For a moment, Rey was caught off guard with what to do, but remembered seeing people loop their arms together as they walked.

Sparing one last glance to Chewie and Maz, she wrapped her hand around Poe's bicep as they left the pair to grieve, Maz's words echoing in her mind. " ** _Do not mess around with that, Rey._** "

Another whisper entered her mind. ' ** _That is not your destiny._** '


	8. Chapter 8

It had been a crazy night so far, Rey decided. She still wasn't sure how she felt about Ben, or Kylo, or the visions, or any of it. She was tired of thinking – No, exhausted. Her mind was running at such high speeds that she was not able to focus on anything.

Which only made her decision to try the drinks from the bar much, much easier. She was well on her third now, already feeling the results, and quite giddy with it, questioning why she had never tried this before.

And now, much to her disbelief, she was dancing. Dancing with Poe Dameron, the charming bastard. She was in love with this feeling, she felt free for once, being able to let go. On the stage next to the main table, a newly revised Cantina Band played something very up-beat, the music vibrating the ground her feet moved upon. Poe was leading her with one hand, his grin nearly tearing his lips, which made Rey's grin grow as well.

"I've never even danced before , this is amazing! I like this!" she revealed, and he nodded, only partly hearing her over the music. They were lost in the crowd on the dancefloor, everyone feeling very good with their loved ones, their friends, their drink, and the night in general.

How could she ever let anything in the galaxy bother her when she could just dance it away? Rey thought to herself, closing her eyes and letting her guard down as her body moved this way and that way.

Never in her life, could she picture herself here in this exact spot, slightly intoxicated, attending the wedding of her dearest friends, dancing with a man!

She silently wished she could feel this forever, and never have to deal with another thought of Ben Solo. She yelled at her own mind, 'Kylo Ren!' she laughed. 'Kylo Ren, the Supreme Leader, blah blah blah.' She laughed some more, and Poe reveled in it, unsure why she had laughed, but it was rare that she did so he made sure to enjoy it now.

He twirled her around, spinning her a few times, and her smile grew as she locked eyes with Poe. As the tune changed to something slow and very sultry, he pulled her close so that she was pressed against his body. She had never really been pressed against another like this, and she blushed, feeling a bit awkward. The only time she had ever really seen or marveled at a man's body was Ben.

Ben Solo…when he was shirtless, tall, and wide, his body gleaming with sweat…

' _Stars…_ ' she thought. ' _Is it him, or is this spinning making that buzz-_ '

Mid thought, her eyes flew open. It was the connection, the force bond. She tried to steady herself but being inebriated made it very hard right now. Rey was still being held up by Poe, who's hip jutted into hers to push her leg out, in tune with the exotic music that played.

Rey's head whipped around, looking for Kylo, trying to sense his presence. ' _Why did I drink so much_!' she mentally screamed at herself.

She didn't trust herself to stand on her own right now, so she allowed Poe to lead her, and as he turned her, his head bent so that his cheek was touching hers, and right then, she found him.

Near the bar stood Kylo Ren, watching Rey cling to the damn traitor he had interrogated months ago. This was the company she chose. He wanted to break them apart, to claim what was his, to kill the damn bastard that held the scavenger.

He stood there, glaring at Rey, who was looking at him, shocked.

Kylo's eyes took her in just as they did back in her room, lingering on every inch of her body. As Poe whipped her around again, she could feel Ben's eyes on her back, tracing the outline of her dress, making her cheeks warm and her nerves tingle.

Still glaring at the scavenger, he spoke to her mind.

"Busy?" he asked, accusingly.

"What do you care? Here to trick me some more? I'm not playing your stupid games." Rey rolled her eyes, and turning once more, their eyes met.

"I'm not playing any game, you should know this. I had to retrieve something, and I had to do what was necessary to get it. You really shouldn't let your guard down so easily, scavenger." He said, his head tilting back and his jaw flexing as he noticed Poe's fingers trail down her arms.

Rey took note of his reaction, and she glanced to Poe's neck and back to Kylo.

She chuckled, and Kylo realized she had been drinking. Scoffing at this and shaking his head, he said, "You are so naïve. You should not be taking in drink if you are wanting to become a true Jedi. Have you even been training?"

"You're jealous." Rey declared. "Why? I don't care about you! And why do you care if I am drinking or not, and why do you care if I am training? I must be doing well myself if your own mother entru-"Rey quickly hushed, realizing that she was rambling and chalked it up to drinking. Ben denied nothing, and did not offer up any answer. She vowed to remain quiet, not wanting to spill any secrets of the resistance, cursing herself that she came so close.

Instead, however, she moved with Poe, allowing his fingers to trail down her arms still, her hand on his shoulder, moving to his neck as they danced. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing, but she tried her best to just move with the beat, and fit her body against Poe's, her eyes never leaving Kylo's heated glare.

Anger, frustration, and jealousy rolled off of him, sticking to the air that surrounded them, nearly making her choke.

She expected him to just sit there, sit there and take it, and just…and just…what? Rey did not know.

Rey definitely did not expect him to move towards them, stalking towards the pair and now standing in front of Rey, nearly ontop of Poe. She looked up, horrified. Rey figured all these people surrounding him would not be able to see him unless he and Rey touched.

"Listen here, scavenger. I have something for you, and you will not get it back until I say so, until I decide you are in the right state of mind. You will come to me when you are not overshadowed by immaturity and anger." He spewed, bending down to meet her stare straight on. Rey could do nothing but stare at him, unsure of when he was trying to say.

"And another thing," Kylo began. Rey licked at her lips, trying to think of something to say back at him. Kylo's eyes followed the movement, making her legs wobbly. "You do care. You would not have been thinking about me while dancing with your little traitor if you didn't."

Rey's heart skipped a beat, her eyes frozen on his. Kylo smirked. He was reading her so well and she couldn't hide this from him.

Suddenly, Poe whipped them around and dipped Rey as the song ended, and when she was pulled back up, Kylo Ren was gone.

'Stupid, arrogant monster.' Rey cursed Ben once she excused herself to fetch water from the bar.

She couldn't believe she had been so distracted dancing with Poe that she didn't feel the bond connect them. She wondered what else Ben had witnessed and how long he was there.

As she sipped her water, Leia joined her at her side.

"Rey, you look wonderful. Dancing looks well on you." The general said, smiling at her. Rey smiled and looked away, embarrassed. Now that she was sobering up, Rey had to come to terms that she allowed herself to open up, much more than she liked to. Again, she cursed herself.

"Thank you, Leia. You picked out quite an outfit. I wouldn't have ever done so myself without your push." Rey said once she was able to direct her attention back to Leia. She turned to face her fully now, and noticed her gaze was at Rey's empty neck.

"Hm. It didn't work did it? Luke was fearful that all the power was gone since it had been so long. Guess he was right." Leia said, shrugging it off. Rey's brow furrowed, looking at Leia curiously.

"What do you mean? The necklace?" Rey asked.

"Well, yes. It was mine and Luke's actually. The last part of crystal we shared from our father. Back on Crait, we decided you should be the one to keep it. Once I found out that your lightsaber was broken, it made sense. As if it was destiny."

Rey glanced around, trying to wrap her head around what she was being told.

"General, what are you saying exactly? What crystal?"

"The necklace? If it held any life-force on it still, it would have called to you, hummed in your presence. Or so Luke said. But it's been such a long time since we obtained it, we feared it would no longer work." Leia explained. "It was the only peice of kyber crystal we had left."

And just like that, Rey's face dropped, her stomach turning into knots, her head throbbing, blood boiling.

The damned monster stole the necklace so that she would not be able to repair her weapon, her lightsaber, the one thing that would assist in ending the war he brought upon them.

Author's Note:

3 chapters today! This will be very rare. Lol.

Thank you for the likes and follows! It is a huge motivator. And thank you so much to LaneyB3115! Your comments mean the world. (:


	9. Chapter 9

The following morning, a groggy Rey woke up with a headache she would have gladly traded in for Jakku's burning heat. She felt awful. He head pounded, her stomach turned, and her body felt out of sorts.

She vowed to never drink that punch again.

Clutching her head, she made her way to the shower, stripping off the dress and letting it fall to her feet. As she stretched, she tried to quiet her thoughts for a single moment, groaning when it didn't work.

The events of the night were rushing through her mind.

Ben and his cold mind trick, the beautiful wedding, the talk with Maz, Maz and Chewie's heartbreaking reunion, the drinks and dancing with Poe, another connection with Ben that made her face warm even now, and the conversation with Leia about her kyber crystal.

And of course, how Rey stumbled her way back to her own room, cursing everything in her way.

She went mad last night, flipping through each book of sacred texts, looking for new information to expose itself to her. She sat, willing the pieces of her saber to fix themselves. And as she lay in bed last night, she questioned why the only thing on her mind was how Ben looked at her as she danced.

Slamming her fist against the wall, she bit her lip to keep herself from crying out.

 **Kylo Ren** was driving her _mad_.

She had so many questions for him, unable to determine where she wanted to begin. However, now was not the time for it. Sighing, she stepped into the shower, the hot water soothing her flesh.

' _Now is not the time to think of him._ ' Rey thought. ' _I have people to train._ '

An hour later, a freshly showered and dressed Rey made her way to the training grounds near the base. She didn't exactly like to practice here, being more at peace when she was alone. But, she wanted the new members to feel comfortable.

Spotting Leia and Poe speaking with three others at the sidelines, Rey dropped her staff and canteen at her feet and walked towards them.

"Ah, here she is. Rey, I'd like you to meet Kai, Flora, and Sano." Leia introduced them all, gesturing to them as she spoke their name.

They all hesitantly nodded their greeting to Rey, as they all studied each another. Rey politely smiled to each of them.

Kai and Flora seemed to be twin sisters, the only difference was that Kai's right side of her face was badly scarred. They both had long, black hair with bangs that fell into their eyes, and the tall and slender frame matched Rey's.

Rey guessed they had to be a few years younger than she. Glancing towards the taller boy to her right, she decided he was older than her, maybe by three or four years.

Sano was much different, seemingly unrelated to the girls. His dark brown hair was very short, his features extremely boyish, the only age-telling sign was the dark haired mustache and beard that lingered around his mouth. He was a tall man, rather bulky and wide.

' _Not nearly as tall or wide as Ben._ ' Rey thought.

Inhaling her frustration with her own mind, Rey quickly cast the thought aside and cleared her throat. "Hello, great to meet you all." She muttered. Again, all three nodded.

"Rey is very force-sensitive, and skilled in combat with her staff. You'll train with her for the time being, just to touch up on your own skills and strengthen them." Leia advised.

"So, is she a Jedi?" Kai eagerly asked, curiosity and excitement gleaming in her eyes.

Leia looked to Rey, who glanced to the floor. "Not yet, not fully. Her master, my brother, passed not too long ago. She has trained and learned enough to pass her strengths to you though, I am extremely confidant in this." Leia said, moving to give Rey's arm a light squeeze.

Sano snorted, rolling his eyes. "Of course, we are to learn only some skills and be left without the rest of it. How will we learn anything if she doesn't know it all?" He asked, frustration pouring from every word.

Embarrassed, Rey's cheeks reddened. _'He has said everything I've felt…_ '

She thought of the moment last night when Ben called her naïve, and accused her of not training.

Determined, Rey challenged him. "We can always practice now? Just to show what the other is working with?" she suggested. Rey felt a thrill rush through her, her smile widening.

Sano looked her up and down, his face almost disgusted. He thought for a moment, and suddenly returned the smile, nodding his head. "Fine, _Jedi_. Let's do it."

Rey felt Leia's objection, and when Sano let out a loud battle cry, stopping everyone in the courtyard, her objection washed away and was replaced with pride and hope for Rey.

Feeling confident, Rey grabbed her staff and walked to wait at the middle of the training yard for Sano, who was now at the weapons rack the base shared. She watched as he lifted a training axe, testing the girth. He placed it back down once he spotted a much larger staff than hers.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed the twins roll their eyes and glance to one another, making Rey smile lightly.

By now, there was a big crowd circled around them, silently watching the event that was about to take place. Poe and Chewie made their way to them from across the meeting hall.

Sano circled Rey for a moment, studying her with a sinister grin.

Rey felt a small push in her chest. Focusing on it, she felt the force come alive within her, sensing the fight approaching. Shutting her eyes, she let the wave of it course through her, sparking every nerve and vein to life.

She felt untouchable. Never had the force called to her in this way with such intensity, not even the first fight against Kylo Ren, or even with Snoke's guards.

' _No,_ ' she thought. ' _This is very different._ '

" _ **Rey**_!" she heard her name being called, urgently, and she realized this was not the first time they were trying to catch her attention.

Her eyes opened just in time to stop the jab of Sano's staff aiming for her chest, blocking it with her own. Shoving him away, she whipped the end of her weapon against the back of his knee, making him bend to her.

Sano groaned as his knee crashed to the gravel, meeting Rey's eyes as he stabbed the end of his staff to the tips of her toes, making her cry out in return. Using the staff to stand, he reared his fist back and plunged it straight to her stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

From the sidelines, Poe moved to step in, yelling at Leia to stop this. Chewie and two others of the Resistance held him back as Leia simply held a hand up to stop him.

The crowd roared on.

Rey was crouched now, on all fours trying to gain her breath and balance back.

Still immobile, she heard Sano laughing behind her as he circled her once more.

"I knew it! You can't teach us nothing! I should be the one teaching these rebels!" He yelled, grinning.

Rey bit her lip, and tuned into the frustration that coursed through her, beating herself up mentally that it was turning out this way. Could she not have a break?Could she stop being such a coward, so naive, so stupid...

And in seconds, it all tumbled down on her.

Her parents didn't care.

Kylo didn't care.

No one cared.

Why should she?

Sano laughed again.

The _damned_ laugh.

Rey's pushed herself up from the ground, dust kicking up around her as she did so.

Turning to face him, she met his gaze. The look in her eye made his smile slowly fall.

"Again." Rey said.

She kicked her staff away, and heard the crowd protest, Leia part of them.

Sano smirked, and part of Rey thought he would call her 'Scavenger' as Ben did every chance he could. Rey shook it off, tired that he entered her thoughts so often, sick of being blocked, sick of blocking him, sick of the questions, the fighting, the running, the w-

Rey let out a cry of anger and frustration as she charged to him, and him at her. He went to whip her with the staff. Using the force, she pushed it out of his hands, so hard that it flew yards back, getting lost deep within the forest that surrounded their huge base. For a moment, he was shocked, and he froze in his place. Rey only kept going.

As fast they both could, they ran to one another, his fist ready to hit it's target once more, and as it was going to connect, just an arm's length away, Rey slid on the ground beneath him, making him stumble past her. Rey quickly got up and ran to him as his back was to her now, and with all her might she kicked him right between his shoulder blades, nothing but spine. He yelled, in pain as his chest hit the ground.

Sano got to his feet, ignoring the ache in his back and chest, refusing to be bested by a wannabe jedi. He reared back towards her, as they met face to face. His hand went to her throat, and with one hand on his wrist, she let her palm jab upwards into his extended elbow, nearly dislocating it. He cursed at her as he lost his grip and held his throbbing bone for a monent. With his uninjured arm, he dug his hand into Rey's shoulder, making her wince, and attempted to head-butt her, but she was able to sense it and move away from him.

He squared up to her small frame and moved to kick her with all he had.

Sano's heavy leg raised, his boot was able to touch Rey just slightly before she reached a palm out and stopped him using the force, his entire body freezing in it's place, his eyes wide with fear and shock.

She stepped back, surprised, her arm falling to her side.

His body fell and regained his movement, angrier than before. He ran, and for a moment, Rey thought he might be running away, until she saw her own staff in the distance.

She took off from there, and the crowd around them moved with them, allowing them room to continue.

Rey feared that Sano would reach her staff, and that once he had it, that would be it. She didn't want to use the force to still him, she didn't want to be the reason behind the frightened look he gave her.

But deep down, she felt this was not just a challenge. This was a fight.

Focusing on the force as she did before, she moved it to his mind, probing just for a moment as they both ran to reach the weapon.

She was shocked to see that his intent was to _cause damage_ , not just to win.

Immediately, her defense tripled, her guard heightened. She didn't need to see anything else.

Skidding to a stop behind Sano, who's hand was on the staff, Rey used the force to pull the staff to her, the weapon just grazing against his cheek, marking him. He quickly turned to her, and once he did, she kicked the end of her staff upwards into his nose, his neck whipping back and his body flying to the ground.

Rey moved to stand over him, jutting the end of her trusted stick into his face. He glared at her, spitting blood out of his mouth.

The _challenge_ was over. She had won.

The crowd around them hollered and cheered, Kai and Flora grinning. Poe, Chewie and Leia rushed to Rey's side, who was still staring down Sano at the end of her staff.

"Lesson is over." Rey huffed. Sano's face softened as Rey stepped away from him, and offered him a hand. He let it hang there for a moment, his mouth forming into a thin line.

He reached for it and allowed her to assist him up.

Wincing, Rey noted that he gripped it rather tight right before he let her hand go.

Sano stormed off as the crowd slowly went back to training and cleaning up what was left of the party from last night.

"Rey, are you okay? That was amazing." Poe said, his hand going to her shoulder. Chewie roared his pleasure, letting her know that he did not believe the kid would win over her.

Rey gave a small smile as her breathing returned to normal.

"That was very good Rey. I didn't realize you were so in tune with the force. It came to you so naturally." Leia praised.

"Honestly," Rey began, hesitating as she thought back and replayed the fight. "I'm not sure where it all came from. I didn't even know I was able to still someone like that. Leia, I peered into his mind, only for a moment, and I saw that he didn't just want to win. This wasn't a challenge for him. Part of him wanted to hurt me. Maybe even do more." Rey explained.

Leia pondered this, looking away from her with a worried expression. "He does seem conflicted. When I read into him, he seemed more grateful that he didn't have to deal with his boss any longer."

"The arms dealer you captured?" Rey asked. She glanced to Poe, who was also waiting for Leia's response.

"Yes. They have a deeper connection than that, but I wasn't able to pick up how. Keep your eye on him, Rey. I will, too."

"So will I." Poe promised the same, nodding.

Rey nodded, glancing from him to Leia.

"Any luck finding the necklace?" Leia suddenly asked, making Rey still momentarily. "I'm sorry. I'm just eager to see if it had any juice left in it to bond your saber. With that, your force powers will only grow stronger. We need that, right now."

Gulping, Rey shook her head.

She didn't want to admit it. In fact, she didn't even want to think about it. Rey was eager to speak with Ben about it's location, knowing fully well that he was responsible for taking it. She just did not want to admit that to Leia.

"Not yet. But I will." Rey promised, her gaze looking off into the distance. She swore to herself that she will get the necklace back, no matter what it cost.

The next time she connects with Ben, she will got everything she needs from him.

She just wasn't sure what that entailed.

...

Author's Notes:

Thank you for the new reviews! It was the best surprise and inspired me to belt this out after work. (: Hope you're all liking it, I really do appreciate the reviews/likes/follows.

I did just want to clear one thing up. When Rey is speaking about Ben/Kylo, she refers to whichever name based on her mood at the moment, and to the narrator, for now he is Kylo. Hope that makes sense.

Again, thank you, _thank you_ , **thank you**!


	10. Chapter 10

"Yes, at the base. The signal was quite a mess, but the plan has been set in motion." A muffled voice said behind the troopers white mask. He was speaking with General Hux in the corner of the meeting room when Kylo Ren caught their conversation.

"Good. We will need it se- Supreme Leader! I was just looking for you." Hux lied. Kylo looked at him with a blank expression, knowing very well that the general was in no way looking for him.

Since the death of their leader months before, Kylo had taken over his place, rightfully so. As tradition, and rule, once a Supreme Leader has fallen, the next of kin or chosen by the leader before, is to take place. The one next in line is set to rule, given one year to be challenged by any other who opposes it.

Grimly, Kylo thought of the twelve that challenged him thus far, all having fallen to Kylo's hand. It was no secret to him that General Hux wished to be a challenger, but even the fool knew he was no match to Kylo.

So instead, he bent his knee to the new ruler, a boy he despised, a boy whom was only ruler by sheer luck that he had the power of the force. Envy and the desire for power drove him mad.

"Well, here I am. What is it that you want?" Kylo asked. He stepped towards Hux, and the Stormtrooper that he was speaking with made a fast get away. It was no worry to Kylo. There were little places to hide on this ship, and even the trooper knew he would not be able to hide anything once captured.

Kylo's cold and amused gaze never left Hux as he towered over the man now.

Hux gulped, and stuttered his response. "I, I just wanted…I just wanted to know what the next step is?" Hux cleared his throat, blinking a few times too many. His voice cracked and his tone lowered to a hesitant whisper. "We had the Resistance base in our hand. I jus-"

"So, you wanted to question me?" Kylo asked, daring an answer from Hux.

Kylo knew Hux was up to something, attempting a plan to dethrone him, but he was not sure of the details. Hux was a master at blocking his mind off from the probes of the force, Kylo would give him that. Having dealt with Snoke so much, it was hard not to be. He wanted badly to end the man's life here and now, and was positive he would be able to do so very easily without any fight back.

However, if Kylo raised a finger to Hux without solid proof of disloyalty, the entire crew would disband themselves from his rule.

Kylo snarled at his own thought, making him wan-

Interrupting his thought, a solid weight hit him square in the chest. For a moment, it felt as though he lost his breath. Kylo stopped himself before he could wince, his nostrils flaring at the sudden assault.

Hux looked at him curiously, though he was still too frightened to question what happened.

"Get out of my sight!" Kylo yelled through clenched teeth, and without needing to be told twice, Hux scurried away.

His hand to his chest now, Kylo leaned his weight on his palm that now rested against a command console along the wall and inhaled deeply.

Cursing to himself as he strode to his chambers, he wondered if the girl had anything to do with this.

Throwing himself into the chair at his desk, he shut his eyes and meditated, trying to focus on the scavenger. In order to get there, he let his anger fall for a moment, his breathing evening out. Slowly, his mind cleared, and he focused on her face, on her light.

He could feel her there, sense her right on the other side of the wall she built to block him out, just as he had done to her. This time though, hers was stronger. His brow furrowed, and inhaling, he tried again.

Static.

She was blocking him, without even trying.

Kylo felt a surge of power skip to him, a sense of accomplishment . Whatever she was doing, she had won.

For a moment, he felt proud, unsure why. He could feel how happy she was with herself, and it was quickly replaced with a feeling of worry and apprehension on her side of the wall.

He wondered if the pilot was with her.

Cursing again, he quickly withdrew, his eyes opening as he sighed, frustrated with the question that flew to his mind.

Sitting back in his chair, he remembered the previous nights connection to her, and how she was dancing with the thief so intimately. Kylo immediately felt his blood boil.

' ** _She denied him when he offered her the galaxy, to turn around and share a dance with a lying thief?_** ' he thought.

He raked a gloved hand down his face, growing more frustrated by the second. He absolutely hated that fact that she was getting to him so easily. But, dammit, she was **_his_**. He had seen it, there was no denying that. Their paths are destined to intertwine, their paths are meant to share the seductive dance she offered to another!

Exasperated, he returned to his meditation, and surprisingly without needing to try, they connected, their bond slamming into one another with the familiar buzz humming around them.

Her back was to him. She was dressed in her normal beige garb and bandages, her staff hung around her back, her hair done half way into a single messy bun just as it had been in the elevator.

He preferred her like this.

 _Comfortable_.

Kylo watched as her shoulders tensed and she slowly turned his way.

Rey met his gaze, noting how frustrated he seemed to be already.

' _Great_.' She thought.

Rey sighed. "Why now?" she asked.

For a moment, he was unsure of what to say, caught off guard by the question. Glancing at her staff, her remembered the aching in his chest.

"Were you in combat?" he asked, his husky tone went straight to the point.

Rey wanted to lie, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of demanding answers and receiving them whenever he wanted. She argued with herself internally, eventually giving up the fight. If she was going to get answers herself, she had to get this over with.

"Yes. Although it may not be what you think." She answered. "Why?"

"What happened?" Kylo demanded, but Rey was already shaking her head.

"No, you come to me when you find it convenient, you demand answers, and you end up leaving me with more questions than anything. I am sick of it! Therefore, I suggest a compromise."

He stared at her blankly, his dark eyes watching her as she removed her staff and canteen and sat down on a bed. He crossed his arms, his head cocking to the side slightly.

It reminded her so much of Han Solo.

Swallowing, she glanced to the floor and back at him, biting her lip for a second.

The sight of it nearly drove him up the walls.

Kylo sighed, Rey taking it as a sign of him being impatient. She sighed.

"A question, for a question. I will answer yours honestly and openly and I expect you to do the same. There will be no questions or answers that have to do with handing out information about our allegiances." Rey offered. She thought it was a good plan. She could get what she wanted, and he could what he wanted. Nothing else, and it had nothing to do with giving up Resistance intel. She was satisfied with this, and hoped he would be too.

She studied him now, as he sat in a large chair. She had never really seen anything he owned besides his dark clothing and lightsaber, but since he was touching this chair, she was able to see it through the projected bond connection.

Still waiting for his answers, she sighed again, wincing at the pain in her chest from the fight with Sano earlier that day. Glancing back at Kylo, her cheeks warmed when she saw he was watching her.

"Fine, I'll go first." He said, and she had to suppress the urge to roll her eyes. "What happened to you?" he asked, referring to the fight.

"I told you, I –"

"I felt it, too. Whatever happened, it knocked the breath out of me. And I assume you won, since you felt so pleased with yourself moments later." Kylo interrupted.

Surprised, Rey asked, "You felt it? I was…." She thought for a moment. Was it really giving any information out by saying she was training a few new members? She wasn't sure.

"I was training with a new member. He kicked a bit harder than I expected." Rey decided to say, it was honest and straight to the point, and did not reveal any information concerning the Resistance.

Kylo blinked, glancing away and thinking about this as he leaned forward in his chair.

Rey watched him, picking her question.

"Why are we connecting now? It's been months before yesterday. Why now?"

Kylo shrugged. "Blocking you out and fighting the bond gets exhausting." He said, giving the simplest answer he could find. His struggled, however, with his next question. "Are you…"

The rest of his question went unasked. Rey looked at him, waiting for him to continue. When he didn't, she decided to look into his mind for the rest of the question, surprised to see it was already there, waiting for her.

' ** _Are you hurt?_** '

For a moment, Rey's heart swelled. He was concerned. She could _feel_ it.

She felt the hope poke her heart lightly.

"I'm fine. Just a little bit of bruising." She said, very softly. She met his stare again, their eyes locking. The dust around them stilled, their breathing tuning in with one another. He looked at her the same way he did when their hands had touched for the first time on Ach-To.

As if he had found a long-lost friend.

' _What an interesting evening this will be_.' Rey thought. ' _Interesting, indeed._ '

...

Author's Notes:

Yay! Chapter 10! I stayed up to write another one. I know the last chapter didn't have much Kylo in it, so I decided to get this one uploaded for you guys. Hope you enjoy! This one pretty fun to write. :)


	11. Chapter 11

Kylo stared at Rey, waiting for her to say something, waiting for her to move. She simply returned his gaze, the anxiety leaving her eyes as she fell into a comfortable silence.

Glancing to the floor when she realized she was staring for a bit too long, she sighed. "I have so many questions. I have no idea where to start." She said, and when her eyes met his again, they seemed lost.

 _'Whatever was on her mind was truly haunting her.'_ , he thought. "Go on." He ordered.

Clearing her throat, Rey began. "You know I was there the night you had that awful nightmare." She declared, slightly wincing at the memory.

Kylo blinked, his jaw tight. "That's not a question."

Nodding, she took that as a confirmation. "You felt it then, when I transferred the light, if that's what we shall call it…"

Rey stood now, clasping her hands together, she began to pace her room. Kylo watched as she tried to slow her thoughts, taking care to watch what she was going to say.

"Can you do that?" she asked, and then quickly turned to him, one slim finger raised. "No! I take that back. Is that something any Jedi or force-user can do?"

She stood only a foot away from him now, watching his reaction, waiting for his response.

It took him only a second to reply, his eyes on hers. The intensity of his gaze made her face warm.

"I would assume it's something any force-user would be able to learn, if said user had enough practice and skill."

Now, gearing up with his question, he stood, looking anywhere but at Rey. She could feel the atmosphere change, knowing that whatever he was thinking about was making his emotions shift to something dark.

"Is that something _**Skywalker**_ taught you?" he asked, venom dripping as he muttered his uncles name.

Rey felt a jolt of protectiveness burst from within her, but she took care to not let it show, not wanting to disturb the moment they were sharing, now that she had Ben here, willing to answer some questions.

"No. I don't know what it was, I just felt a push to lay my hand on your arm, and I felt…" She quieted for a moment, trying to think of how to explain it. "I felt…like something was telling me to do it, and all of a sudden, there was just so much power, so much warmth. I didn't realize what was happening until I felt your thoughts change. And then…." She glanced down again, her hands gripping one another.

"And then?" he asked, trying to process what she was saying.

"Then I felt a thrill. It felt like I could escape any battle unscathed, like I could fall from the highest cloud and simply walk away from it-"

"You felt invincible? Untouchable?" Kylo finished. He knew the feeling she described all too well.

The thrill of the dark side, the taste of the power.

Rey nodded, feeling ashamed. For a moment, she thought back to her reflection in the mirror and how she thought she saw a yellow glint in her eyes. She shook the memory away, looking up to him to gauge his reaction.

"You channeled the dark side of the force. It showed itself to you, and you took the bait." He said. Part of Kylo was swirling with excitement at the thought of her finally joining him, how well they fit together, and the things they could do _for_ the galaxy... **to** the galaxy.

His mind quickly shuffled to the vision he had of the small, young girl that was completely consumed by the dark.

He promised himself not to let that become of Rey, not to let it get that far. Yet, for the briefest second, Kylo questioned if he was capable of that.

Focusing back on Rey, he saw she was distraught with this. "It's not a bad thing, this is part of the vision I saw. You _will_ stand with me." He said, so sure of it that Rey considered that this may be the only possibility.

Rey sighed, growing frustrated. "Why do you want this? Why is i-"

Kylo interrupted. "It's not your turn."

Rey held her tongue, glaring at him momentarily before she moved to sit on her bed, her back against the wall. She crossed her arms and refused to look at him.

He almost wanted to laugh at the scavengers tantrum.

Surpressing that urge, he sat back down in his chair.

He thought for a moment.

"Why did you refuse me?" he asked quietly, averting his gaze from her.

Her head shot towards him, surprised by his question as her frustration quickly melted away.

"Because…" she started, her tone high as if gearing up for a fight. As her answer came to her, her tone softened. "Because I couldn't turn around to kill the people I love. They aren't a weakness to me."

This response made Kylo angry. "They are! This is exactly what I was talking about, you are still holding on!"

Rey watched as he stood form his chair again and he scowled at her. She was frightened for a moment before her own anger matched his.

"Why would I agree to rule with you and go about the galaxy murdering absolutely everybody? You can rule and not be such a monster, you don't have to make every place turn into a body dump! You can use your power to create good, you can turn it into something even better! Just as you can hold on to someone _**and**_ love them!" She yelled, her words shocking her as they tumbled out of her mouth in such furry.

He seemed surprised for a moment. His tone much more calmer than before, and much more quieter than Rey's, he said, "I don't want to turn the galaxy into a body pile. I want the First Order to be something great, something respected by everyone. You do not achieve that by being disobeyed without consequence. Once the challenge term is over and I am granted full rule, I will achieve that. And I will not forget the disobedience and treachery committed by your little rebellion."

Rey's wide stare turned cold. "And what of me? What of your mother? You will kill us?" she asked, tears threatening an escape.

The sight tore at him, but he did not let that show. As for her response, he didn't know what to say.

So, in regular Kylo Ren fashion, he stood tall as his chin pointed upwards, his hard glare cascading down towards her as she peered up at him from her bed.

Rey nodded, hating the fact that she could not convince him otherwise. She rubbed at her eyes, hoping he didn't see the wetness stain the bandages on her arm and wrist. Clearing her throat, she asked, "What's a challenge term anyway?"

He exhaled heavily, as he tried to guide the bond to end, but it didn't budge.

Accepting he was stuck here until the force decided otherwise, he raked his hand through his hair.

"For the first year after the a prior Supreme Leader's death, anyone can challenge the next in line. Since I was Snoke's apprentice, the throne belongs to me, unless a challenger is able to best me before the year is up. Once the term ends, the Knights of Ren will either pledge their allegiance or challenge me themselves." He explained, growing bored.

Rey pondered this. "Does this count as…giving away information?" she asked hesitantly.

Kylo shook his head. "This is common knowledge. It's purposely spread so that the weak can be dealt with, or the greater challenger will reveal himself."

"I see… Has anyone challenged you?" Rey questioned, fascinated by this tradition. She had never heard of such a tale, but again, all she ever heard were whispers of tales on Jakku, and majority of it, she chalked up to being pure gossip.

He studied her face, her cheeks were a soft pink now, her eyes clear and big, the threat of tears washed away as she eagerly awaited his answer.

"Yes. Twelve to be exact."

Kylo wanted to be proud of the number, satisfied with defeating anyone that dared to stand up to his rule. But deep down, he was sick of keeping count of those fallen to his hand over the title. He wished to rule and forget all else, tired of this game. Looking to her, he watched as her eyes gazed into the distance, taking in his reply.

Softly he peered into her mind.

She knew that she did not like that. Although she wasn't sure if she liked people challenging him for the throne. Even with his threats to deal with the rebellion's 'disloyalty', a part of her felt safe that he was Supreme Leader, afraid of what possibly lay out there. She wondered who the challengers were, and for a very brief moment, part of her felt a sharp stab of pride that he bested them.

' _That is_ _ **cruel**_ _! He is a_ _ **monster**_ _!_ ' her mind screamed. She had to shake her head free of all thoughts and focus on Ben again. Glancing to him, she saw he was watching her, and as she became aware of it, she felt the presence of him in her mind. She looked away quickly as she built a stronger block.

His brow raised as he smirked. "You really are locked in a battle with yourself." He said, feeling concerned for the depth of it. He chose to keep his response light. "You need to keep your guard up, your thoughts are too loud. I barely had to push at all."

" **Stay out of my head!** " she roared, louder and more venomously than she intended. Rey groaned, rolling her eyes, and again refused to look at him, feeling bad. "I try. I try literally all the time. I'm growing sick of it. Luke only taught me so much, and these cursed books are so hard to translate." She said, extremely exasperated.

Curiosity striking him, Kylo leaned forward to catch her gaze. "Books?"

Her eyes widened, wondering if she had given too much away, and when she felt him in her mind again, she scowled. He had already found the answer. "Stay out of my head, Ben Solo!" she said again, this time through clenched teeth, standing up and shoving a flat palm into his chest. He barely budged from it.

"Do not call me that!" He sneered. Shaking his head, he added, "I can't believe the old fool kept them."

At this, Rey's grimace fell, fully distracted. "You've read them? I've tried so many times, but the ink is smudged and I can't understand the language it's written in." She said, excited. Rey felt as though she was actually getting somewhere now, if maybe he knew any way to translate what was there, maybe she could continue learning...

"I have, yes." Kylo replied, hesitant. He thought for a moment.

If she had the books, all she had to do was translate what was in them and she would be able to teach herself the remaining lessons Luke Skywalker was unable to. And, if she did that, her own bond with the force would strengthen.

However, if that happened, she could delve into the dark side unknowingly, just as she did when she was able to transfer light to him with no training at all.

'But,' he thought, ' _I could train her. I can control what she learns, for now at least…_ '

Kylo considered for a moment longer, weighing the options and realizing there weren't many.

He could either allow her to become a self-taught master Jedi and kill her or be killed **_by_** her.

He could allow her to become a full force user of the dark side and rule with her or again, be killed by her.

Or, he could assist in teaching her the ways of the force and help her channel the dark side just enough to let go of all she held on to, and together they could achieve their destiny, just as the vision showed him the night they touched hands, when their souls claimed one another's partnership.

"Ben?" Rey asked, dragging him from his thoughts. His eyes flickered to hers wide and hopeful eyes. He wanted to tell her to stop calling him that, but he something within him didn't let him.

"I'll help you. I can teach you. We'll use the same terms that you did, we will not reveal any intel of our allegiances, and only do this through our bond of course."

She looked grateful, but wary.

"Why are you agreeing to help me?" she asked, a light smile tugging at her lips.

He hesitated. "It should help…Maybe once you learn what is needed, the bond will stop." He said, and smugly realized a part of him truly hoping it didn't.

Swallowing, she nodded. She didn't want the bond to end, having gone months without it made her feel more alone than ever before. But, she knew it had to be done eventually.

They looked at one another, silence stinging the air around them. They stood so near one another now. Kylo's gaze softened as she filled his view, entrapped by her soft,innocent beauty. He remembered the similar way he felt when they rode in the elevator to Snoke's throne room months ago.

Rey could feel a tugging in her bruised and aching chest, a natural pull to him, all senses tingling. Her eyes begged to scan his face, to admire every imperfection, but her mind refused it, but _his_ eyes ached for it.

Looking away from his heated gaze, she turned on her heel towards the desk that sat in the corner.

Clearing her throat, she picked up one of the beaten books. "I have all of them here, but this one seems to call to m-" Rey stopped speaking when she turned back to him, book in hand.

The bond swiftly and gently disconnected, and Rey was left alone in her room.


	12. Chapter 12

The next few days dragged on for Rey as she eagerly waited for the bond to connect again, cursing herself that she didn't inquire about the kyber crystal. Her hand ached for it, her ears missing the sound of the violent buzz it made when activated.

She was almost desperate for it now, even though there was no need for it at the Resistance base.

' _I just feel better with it_.' She thought.

For now, her staff did the job, accompanying Rey as she made her way down from the trail she created along a mountain a few miles away from the base. She walked the path a few times a week, not wanting her bones to tire. Back on Jakku, she hiked everywhere in the dreadful heat, sometimes being consumed by it all day.

Today, however, she was not alone. Early in the morning, she woke Kai, Flora, and Sano to join her. Kai was eager, Flora was quiet, and Sano was still sulking from their battle. This was the general attitude from the three the past few days.

Rey had grown to like Kai and Flora, the twins shared the same desire to learn something new everyday, a feeling Rey had as she waited for Ben.

Pausing at a large mound of rocks, Rey lifted her canteen to her lips, taking a large gulp as the twins caught up to her.

"I can't believe you do this every day. It seems tedious." Kai said, huffing.

Flora nodded in agreement, looking on to admire the sunrise, catching her breath.

Rey shrugged, and watched as Sano grunted his way past them and down the trail, eager to get away from Rey.

Since their battle, Sano has made sure to keep his distance, and not wanting to provoke him further, Rey did the same. Part of her nearly regretted challenging him, her other half grateful that she did. Without doing so, she would not have seen the intent to hurt her, she constantly told herself. She was on high alert around him, unsure of how to move past it.

Once Sano was out of earshot, Rey turned to the girls.

"Has he mentioned anything to you both since the... challenge ...the other day?" Rey asked. She watched as they glanced to one another and back to Rey.

"You can call it a fight. It is what it is. And you won!" Kai exclaimed, grinning now.

Rey inhaled sharply, not liking the word.

' _A_ _ **teacher**_ _shouldn't have to fight their_ _ **student**_ _!_ ' she thought to herself.

"Kai, please. I am not very proud of how it turned out. It got out of hand. But I need to know how he's been acting since then." Rey said. Kai nodded understandingly, and Flora nodded.

The shy and quiet Flora always caught Rey off guard. The young girl seemed very wise for her years, and she was definitely an observer rather than a talker, the exact opposite of her twin sister.

"Flora? What about you, have you noticed anything…off with Sano?" Rey asked, catching the girls eyes.

Flora hesitated, glancing to her sister, who nudged her on. "Well… Sano's always seemed… erratic. Sometimes he can be perfectly calm, and the next second, a wild fire." She quietly explained.

"You mean a wildflower?" Kai asked, wanting to smile.

Flora looked to her, shaking her head slowly. "No, a wild fire. He can be dangerous, maybe not as dangerous as Mello, but…dangerous. He always has a hidden agenda, always looking out for only himself, always making it a point to be unpredictable. That's how he was able to convince General Organa to come here. He acts innocent and kind when it's convenient for him, as if he was just a victim to Mello."

Rey listened intently, never taking her eyes off the girl. As Flora was speaking, Rey was peering into her mind, barely a caress, making sure to leave no trace that she was there. She could feel Flora was being honest, and that she did fear Sano's crazy ways.

"Who is Mello?" Rey softly asked.

Flora looked away, and when her sister said nothing, Kai took the lead.

"He's the bastard that gave me _this_." She said, pointing to her badly scarred face. "He was also our old boss." She said, grimacing.

Rey badly wanted to ask what had happened, but she didn't want to be rude. Sensing this, Kai continued. "Mello picked us up when we were little. I guess some would call it kidnapping? Whatever it is, he took us. Made us his little slaves, slinging deals so that he would never be the one to get caught. He would schedule the drop, we would deliver, and Mello would get paid. We were masters at it, at the deceit. Dealing arms to the First Order and running away like it was nothing.

"Years passed, Mello's prices grew, bad guys didn't like it, and demanded a meeting with Mello himself. We all attended, Sano too. Mello refused to drop the price though, and some chick in chrome gear opened fire on us, and that damn blob used me as a human shield!" Kai exclaimed, slamming her own fist into her other hand. Flora winced.

Rey stared at her in disbelief, not being able to imagine leading a life like this, surrounded by danger from every side, at all times. Silently, she was thankful for her life on Jakku momentarily.

"We were able to escape though, two fools stole a TIE fighter and crashed the place, rumor has it that one of them was a Stormtrooper. It was the _perfect_ distraction. We followed suit and stole a couple escape pods, and what do you know, almost a year later, and the pilot of the stolen TIE fighter is putting Mello in cuffs for trying to deal the rest of the First Orders weapons to him. It's that Poe Dameron, do you know him well?" Kai asked, finishing her story.

All Rey could do was stare at her, processing the tale Kai told. Rey was fascinated to find out the link between them all, centering around the charming pilot that danced with her just a few moons ago. Rey sighed, answering the girl. "Yes, I know him well. He's a very good friend." Rey forced herself to not let the blush creep up her face.

It didn't work, she realized, when Kai smirked and Flora cast her gaze elsewhere.

Trying to distract the pair, Rey asked "So what of Sano? I heard he didn't like your boss that much."

Kai sighed at Flora, seemingly tired of talking for once, so Flora spoke. "Mello was Sano's step father. We didn't meet him until about two years ago when Sano showed up begging for work. Even then , he wanted to take over everything. Sano was the one who scored the meeting with the chrome guard. We still don't know how." Flora said, shaking her head.

Rey nodded, not exactly happy with the answer, but had enough information for now. She glanced to the surrounding ocean in the distance, thinking about another detail of the story.

"And what of your parents? If you were taken… and you're free now… why not look for them?"

Kai and Flora shared another glance, this time, both seemed to be hit by a wave of sadness and acceptance. "Well, Lady Rey, it had been so long. We were only holding on to the idea that they were waiting for us. In order to move on, we had to let go." Flora quietly said, her hand finding her way to Kai's.

Little did they know how hard these words hit home.

...

Author's Notes:

I am on a rolllll! Two chapters tonight, and I'm satisfied with them both, I truly hope you all are too! Thank you for reading and encouraging/inspiring me to add to this story. :D


	13. Chapter 13

A while later, Rey told the girls to head back to the base and wash up, pleased with the fact that neither one of the twins complained of their journey up and down the mountains path.

Alone now, Rey was able to think.

She wondered why Poe, or Leia for that matter, didn't tell her that he was the one to arrest Mello. She didn't know why the information mattered, but it was a surprising detail to be told by the new members to their Rebellion instead of her friends.

Sighing, she vowed to not let the day be lost to more questions.

Looking up from the path she slowly walked, Rey was surprised to find herself in view of the Falcon.

A smile tugging at her lips, she made her way to it, being welcomed by Chewie and R2 who were making small cosmetic repairs.

Chewie roared his greeting, and R2D2 beeped his own, also alerting her that Poe was inside refilling their medical supplies and stocking emergency portions.

Rey smiled to them both, and went inside, Chewie messing her hair as she passed. The motion filled her with warmth, widening her smile.

Inside the ship now, Rey looked around, noting every mark on each wall as the floor lights lit up when she approached them. It was true, she loved the base, and loved being surrounded by the people there. However, it never gave her this feeling, the feeling of _home_.

She sighed, sadness creeping up on her as she thought of the previous owner of the beloved Millennium Falcon, Han Solo.

He was life itself, finding a thrill and an adventure in everything he touched, in every place he went.

Rey admired it. His free and stubborn spirit, the life he led, the love he carried with him. It was all so pure.

Leaning against the nearest wall, she tried to will the tears away, but it only made her sob harder. The conversation with Flora and Kai made her want to run home to Jakku, to crawl into her beaten AT-AT and await her parents return.

This would never happen now, though. Her parents sold her and abandoned her, not giving a care in the world about their child, who spent every minute of every day sitting in the scorching heat, waiting for their return with no hatred or resentment towards them.

Rey cursed herself as another tear rolled down her cheek.

Her parents were gone, the pair deceased. And sadly, so was Han Solo, having lost his life at the hands of his son. Rey recalled how he cupped Kylo's cheek before falling off-

She quickly shook her head, not wanting to remember the rest. But in that moment, she knew even then that Han's love never stopped for Ben, neither did his hope. She remembered feeling the sorrow and regret fill the atmosphere, but it was radiating off both father and son, and now, it consumed Kylo.

It consumed _Ben_.

Wiping her tears away, she thought of what Han would say right now. Something along the lines of 'You'll do just fine, kid.' sprang to her, and with that, she sadly smiled.

"Hey there! I didn't realize I had company besides the old hairball and machine." Poe said from behind her, referring to Chewie and R2.

Rey cleared her throat, inhaling to help her steady and compose herself. She turned, and offered him a polite smile. He noticed how hard it was for her to do just that, and didn't want to push her.

"I'm fine, really." She said, noticing his concern. He nodded, glancing down to the dirty rag in his hands. "R2 said you were restocking?"

"Yep, all set now. How'd the training go? Didn't expect for anyone to be up this early."

She moved away from the wall, and together they walked the hallways of the ship, not going anywhere in particular.

"Well, it wasn't really a lesson. I just took them for a hike up and down the mountain near the riverbank. It's a good walk, I don't want them to get too comfortable staying still." She explained, Poe nodded, smiling at her as they walked.

Slowing down now, she briefly paused to look at him, meeting his warm gaze. She quickly glanced away. "Actually Poe, I had a quick question. I was told that you were the one to capture and arrest the arms dealer, Mello, back on Mo-Safte. Is that true?" Rey asked.

He hesitated for a long moment, eventually groaning and moved to stand in front of her, halting her next step.

"Yes." He said simply, looking down at her, his smile washed away as he looked concern again.

Rey was taken aback by his serious approach to the question, and his unwillingness to offer up any other information. Trying to hide her irritation, she looked at him with a confused expression. "Well? Why didn't you tell me? I thought you had left to go look for ship parts."

Again, he hesitated, this time running his hand through his hair, heavily sighing. "Well, Rey, I overheard that there were First Order members on Mo-Safte. By the time I arrived, they were already gone, or so I was told when I asked Mello. He was sitting at the bar that the troops were spotted at, I offered to buy him a drink… or four… in exchange for information, and he just became an open book." Poe went on. "He told me the troops were there looking for _him_ , and they weren't successful, next thing I know, he's trying to sell me weapons from a deal that the First Order backed out of a year ago."

Sighing again, he looked from the floor up to Rey, who was studying him now, brows furrowed. She was still unsure why this was information he felt he needed to hide.

"Why not tell me?" She asked. Rey truly did not want to resort to prying into his mind, he was her friend after all. But she knew she did not like details being held from her, and right then, she felt a wave of anxiety rolling off of him and washing over her.

She sensed there was something he didn't want to tell her, if he didn't have to.

Now, there was no hiding the frustrated expression on her face. "Why were you out looking for First Order members anyway? So far from base and the rest of the fighters?" She asked, unsure if she really wanted the answer.

Poe looked at her with wide eyes and a regretful expression. He frowned, and Rey could feel the answer before it left his mouth.

"Rey… I was looking for Kylo Ren…" he said, his voice just above a whisper as he avoided looking at her.

"Why?" she demanded, her tone higher than she intended, confused by the protective feeling she instantly had.

Clearing his throat, he rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't answer.

Growing tired of this, Rey crossed her arms, trying her best not to glare at him as she softly peered into his mind. She decided that she had no choice, but still did not feel good about it.

Searching his eyes, she knew he couldn't feel her presence there.

In his mind, Rey watched the memories fly by. It was just as he said, Mello sat there at the bar, slumped as he chugged from a large mug. He was extremely tall she could tell, even sitting down. He was a pretty large man, a high-top belly poking out from beneath his shirt. His fingers wore all sorts of rings, one in particular shining with a large blue ruby. In his stool, he turned to look in her direction, momentarily frozen, Rey had to remind herself that this was Poe's memory, not hers.

Mello seemed exactly like the type of person she would avoid, his eyes were full with mischief and dark intent, giving her chills.

Shaking herself from the distraction of his Poe's memory, she focused on Poe's own intent for being there, shocked to feel that his purpose was not just to find Kylo Ren, but to _kill_ him once given the chance. She quickly backed out of his mind.

"You- you…were going…to kill him? Why?" she said, surprised by the moment she said it. She quickly recovered. "I mean, why? He's force sensitive, if he was there, he would be able to sense you, and your intention…" she said, still in disbelief.

The same protectiveness reared around again. Half of her wanted to plead with Poe to stop the silliness, knowing he would not be able to beat Ben's skill, especially with the force, and risk getting himself killed. The other part of her told her that Ben was hers. All hers.

' ** _Hers to kill._** ' The whisper said.

Her heart froze, her breathing stilled.

"Rey, I couldn't tell you, because you get…Riled up, whenever Kylo is mentioned. I mean, it's understandable, he's a disgusting, murderous rat. But, I've seen how speaking about him gets to you." Poe explained, stepping closer to Rey, who moved back.

Gaining her senses back, she knew she couldn't deny it. Her mind was already at war with itself all over again, and they were indeed speaking about Ben.

Her stomach tightened. She didn't like that he was able to notice the way she reacted whenever Ben was brought up, and she cursed herself at being read so well.

Ben was right. She really did need to build up a better guard.

Rey sighed. "Poe, you could have gotten yourself captured again, or even killed." She said quietly, frustration still in her voice.

His tension fell. "I know. But I had to at least try. He wouldn't be expecting a few Resistance fighters by ourselves so far from base." He shrugged. "I had to do it. For them, for you…" he trailed off. Rey's eyes flickered to his face, and back to the floor.

"Does…does Leia know?" she asked.

"No. And I'd rather she didn't. She doesn't really like it when I act on my own…" he said.

Rey nodded, and Poe sighed.

"I'm sorry, Rey. I didn't mean to leave you in the dark." Poe apologized, and Rey could feel that this was true. She waived it off, shaking her head, letting him know not to worry.

"Come on, we should get back for breakfast." Rey said. Poe nodded and led the way to the exit, the lights shutting themselves off as their presence left the halls.

Before exiting, Rey turned back once more to admire the inside of the Falcon.

' _Home_.'

…

Back at the Resistance base, Poe and Rey remained quiet as they held their trays of food, looking for a spot to get comfortable at within their cafeteria.

It was times like these when Rey missed the company of Finn and Rose. She was still feeling distraught over Poe's revelation, and she ached for their positivity. However, the newly weds were off enjoying their honeymoon.

She sighed. Following Poe to a spot he chose, she scanned the room, noticing Sano sitting in a corner at an empty table, scowling down at his own tray.

She set her tray down as Poe sat. "I'll be right back." She excused herself, and Poe watched protectively as she made her way to Sano.

"Mind if I sit?" she asked.

Sano looked up at her with surprise, glaring at her once he realized who it was. "I'm sure you will no matter what I say." He said, his tone cold.

Rey hesitated, and sat across from him. She watched him as hatred grew in eyes.

She winced at how hard his expression remained. "I wanted to clear the air. There's no reason for any hostility." She said, making him laugh.

"Hostility? Jedi scum cheats during a challenge, and now she's upset that there may be hostility?" Again, he roared.

Rey sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at him. "We are on the same side here-"

"No! I am not on any side." He roared. Across the room, Poe moved to get up and come to Rey, and sensing his movement behind her, she raised a hand, telling him to stay. Poe timidly obeyed. Harshly whispering now, Sano continued. " I thought your precious General Organa had a better base here, had more supplies and a better organization. But you know what I discovered? That you're all cowards, just hiding behind a weak force-user." He snarled at Rey, resting his arm on his table.

From the corner of her eye, Rey noticed a gleam shine in the light, and glancing towards it, she saw the gold ring Mello wore from Poe's memory, the blue stone nestled in the middle of it.

Entranced by it, it hummed to her, more intense than the time Leia's neckla-

Rey froze.

' _Kyber crystal_!' her mind screamed.

Her eyes quickly glanced up to find Sano eyeing her reaction to the ring.

He swiftly shoved his hand into his pocket and out of her sight, still glaring.

Shocked, she attempted to clear her voice and rid it of any surprise. "Well…I'm sorry…That you're disappointed with how things are here. We are being hunted by the First Order, and had to use the little resources we had left to build from nothing. No one is forcing you here." Rey said, and quickly gaining her confidence, added, "Leia sensed you needed a home, a new life. And she took a chance on you. Where would you be right now, if they left you on Mo-Safte? With a warm meal in front of you?" she asked, nodding towards his tray, her anger rising. "With a bed to sleep in? And a roof over your head?" She gestured around them. "She sensed your strength, and had hope that you would use it for good."

Rey stood from the table now, peering down at him. Sano glared at her still, but she noted that it was not as hard or cold as before. It was too late. The anger was boiling now. He was a new member here, and he was talking about their General so awfully. His bad attitude was annoying her, and on top of that, she could still _hear_ and _feel_ the hum of the crystal in his pocket.

It was calling to her, and she ached for it.

Even angrier now, she focused on Sano again.

"Yes, I guess you have it quite bad here. As for me, the Jedi scum, I did in fact overcome you with our challenge," Rey said, feeling the venom drop from her tongue as she repeated the ugly name he called her, rage mixing with the truth of what she said now. It was creating a sense of power that she was unable to control as she bent down to Sano, whispering, "and if you dare continue this attitude towards our base, towards Leia, I will do it again."

With that, she turned and left him. Sano watched her leave, his breathing heavy. Part of him enraged that the girl dared to threaten him, the other part fully believing that she would stay true to the promise if needed.

Skipping her meal with Poe, Rey was now back in her room, pacing the ground away as she hatched a plan to gain the kyber cystal he mindlessly carried around his finger.

Pausing, she held her head in her hands and tried to steady her breath, her mind locked in a battle, her body tense and aching. She felt sick, as if being away from the crystal itself was creating this havoc within her.

She knew it was true as the whispers continued.

' _Get the crystal, save Ben_!'

' _ **Get the crystal, kill Kylo!**_ '


	14. Chapter 14

That night, Rey struggled to sleep, hot and feeling out of sorts.

Her mind did not cease it's torment, a terrible battle of good versus evil. She couldn't make sense of it, and it frustrated her to no end. She was able to get one hour of sleep after tossing and turning, the torment continuing, but now as she tuned into the force, she was able to quiet it down, only just a little.

Laying on her back, she stared up at the ceiling, sleep begging to be met, but her mind refusing it.

Rey closed her eyes, trying to focus on her breathing. She cast aside Sano, and the crystal, which she could swear still hummed to her hungrily. She cast away Poe, and the Resistance, and along with it went her parents, and the Falcon.

All that remained was Kylo.

 _'Ben…'_ her heart whispered, and as it did, so did her mouth.

"I told you, stop calling me that."

Eyes flying open, Rey quickly sat up to see Ben sitting on the edge of her bed, facing her. Gasping, she quickly tried to cover herself with her sheet, feeling self conscience that she was only wearing a small, beige tank top and loose undergarments.

She blushed as his eyes scanned her from the tips of her toes to the hair atop her head, as if he was able to see through the sheet itself. Rey felt her heart skip a beat and was sure he could pick up on that with the way she was breathing.

"What are you… Well, nevermind. Were you able to control this connection?" Rey asked, breathless.

Watching her, his face blank, Kylo said "No. Not this one."

They both stayed quiet, studying one another.

She noticed he seemed more relaxed, dressed down into a long sleeve tunic and baggy pants, sticking to his color of all black. She had never thought about him wearing anything other than his usual garb, always dressed to command, always dressed to rule.

His hair was the normal wavy mess, his skin pale. Rey's eyes followed the scar from his brow, and slowly down to his neck, disappearing beneath the tunic.

She had given that to him. She was the one that marked him.

Her stomach clenched, pooling with warmth.

She remembered feeling this way before, about this same scar... She shifted at the unexpected feeling as her cheeks warmed, kicking up the heat she felt under Kylo's gaze.

He watched her squirm, finding a delight that she responded to the mark she branded him with in their first battle. _This_ , was not what Kylo expected tonight as he prepared for bed, the first time in days.

General Hux was continuing his secretive plan, and Kylo was extremely eager to catch him in the middle of this trap he was attempting to lay, however the general knew exactly what Kylo was trying to do, and in turn, blocked himself even further. Hux stuck to his troops side at all times, not chancing Kylo to catch him off guard and force the truth out.

Hux knew what he was up to , and Kylo couldn't wait for the challenge term to be over, so that he would finally be able to kill Hux himself without any warrant from the fleet.

Trying to catch him, however, exhausted Kylo, who barely ate and rarely took any time to catch up on sleep. He was absolutely depleted, and when he felt the bond connect, it was the easiest and quiet it had ever been, not having to push through any clutter from his mind to Rey's.

He could only guess that she was clearing her mind as well, or at least, attempting to, because when he arrived, he felt that she was not in tune with the bond, not even noticing he was there. And when she whispered the name he rid himself of…

Inhaling, Kylo shifted on his bed. The mixture of the sound of her voice whispering his name, and the fact that he could feel her want, was utterly distracting…

Clearing his throat, he spoke.

"We might as well use this time and not let it waste. Do you have the texts?" he asked, avoiding her gaze. Though he did indeed like her reaction, he did not like being studied, especially when he was dressed down.

Rey nodded, clutching the sheet to her, and bent down to the side of her bed, picking up the book and opening it to the first page.

Kylo admired it for a moment as it lay in her lap. It had been so long since he had seen this book in particular. Glancing to her, he timidly reached for the book, and she froze before handing it over to him, reminding herself that he was here to help.

"This one is solely to teach the Jedi of the power of light and dark. Get the brown one, with the jewels along the binding. We'll start there." He said, and she did as she was told.

…

An hour and a half later, Rey was very satisfied with what she had learned so far. He taught her just a few words of the book, and she wrote them down so that she could study when he wasn't around. She had also learned a better way of meditation, to focus entirely on your being instead of what it is you want, or simply the object of your desire.

Earlier on, she requested that he turn his back to her so that she may dress in something more comfortable, and thankfully, he did. Now wearing her capris and a baggy training shirt, they both sit on the floor across one another, having just finished meditating.

The air seemed lifted, and her mind was nearly silenced now, her raging headache gone.

Bringing her knees to her chest, she studied him again as he watched her, his eyes and expression blank, hers simply curious.

"How…old are you?" she asked.

The question caught him off guard.

"Nearly thirty." He said, his eyes flickering to the ground and back to hers.

Rey took a moment to think. She truly had no idea when her birthdate was, or how old she is, and only able to guess, she assumed she nearly the same age.

"No. You're about twenty." He said.

She squinted her eyes at him, the calm over powering any frustration that would normally come about, thanks to meditating. "Stay out of my head, Ben."

Sighing, he softly countered. "Enough with that name. If you would just keep your thoughts quiet, then no one would be listening." He watched as Rey rolled her eyes at him.

He almost caught himself…feeling… compassion? Sorrow? He couldn't decide. Whatever it was, he felt bad that she was not able to tell her own age, having been abandoned by the Jakku drunks.

Trying to distract her, and himself, he thought of a question. "How is the training going with the new member?"

For a moment, Rey froze. She had forgotten that she revealed that detail, but thankful that she did not say more about it. "It's …going." she said simply.

His brown eyes bore into her. "You're lying. It was your own rule to be honest."

Sighing, Rey knew she lost this one, cursing herself as she stood, stretching. "It's not going. I thought I'd teach him, and he would teach me, but it's not working out."

Kylo listened, and felt that she was now being honest. He sighed, not enjoying the feeling that she had another teacher. For a moment, he wondered if it was the treacherous pilot.

Rey rolled her eyes, sitting on her bed now. "It's not Poe."

His eyes flew to hers, turning cold as he glared at her. "Now who's the one prying?"

Rey returned his glare, saying nothing. For a moment they sat like this, until she pulled the calm back, and relaxed into, noticing that Ben slowly did the same.

Sighing, she massaged her hands, glancing from them to Kylo's face who was back to studying her.

"Any new challengers lately?" she asked, avoiding his eyes completely. He scoffed.

"No, not any willing to show their face at least." He said, thinking about Hux.

She looked at him curiously, but he did not give in.

"What's going to happen if you lose a challenge?" she asked, and this time, Kylo allowed her to skip his turn, feeling rather calm now. Meditation with Rey was quite the experience, he thought.

"I most likely die, and someone else rules. They have a challenge term as well, however theirs is only for one day instead of a year, since this person will usually not be the apprentice to the prior leader." He explained.

Her brow furrowed as she lowered herself back to the floor across from him, watching Ben's movement as his hand ran through his hair.

Rey wasn't sure what it was, but the motion brought back the warm feeling in her belly.

Clearing her throat, she asked another question. "But, no one will challenge you will they? And win?" her voice was softer now, so quiet for that a moment Kylo wondered if she had just thought it.

At this, he was silence, thinking of the term.

"At the end of the challenge term, there's a celebration. The Knights of Ren gather one day prior to the expiration, and they either pledge their allegiance to me, or they challenge me themselves. I've told you of this already." He replied, his own tone quiet.

Another silence.

"Who are the Knights of Ren?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Higher members of the First order. We were a designated group reporting to Snoke, we trained together under… _Skywalker_ … some force-sensitive, some not. Snoke favored me, given who my grandfather is… So, I was appointed master of the knights. " Kylo explained. He hadn't thought about the way they came together in a very long time, and he absolutely hated thinking of his life before Snoke took him under his wing.

Before he fell to the dark side...

"But… If they report to you, why would they challenge you?" Rey asked, genuine curiosity dripping off of her face.

"Rey… When a leader is dethroned or dies, the thone is free reign, but in order to gain the position to rule, you must prove yourself. I have proven myself thus far, being Snoke's apprentice, but the Knights of Ren would be the only ones around that could pose a threat to me taking full control." He said, eyeing Rey.

Slowly, Rey nodded, soaking in the information as she stared at the floor. If Luke had trained them, they must have a great deal of skill, and that worried Rey. If somehow Ben was able to be overthrown, the First Order's vengeance would come down harder than ever against the Rebellion.

Rey realized, that Ben was holding the war at bay, for whatever reason that may be. She could only guess that he still held out hope that she would join his side, but shaking her head, she promised herself that would not happen.

"You'll beat them, though, whoever challenges you?" she asked, and looking up, discovered he was gone as the force bond ended for the night...

...

Happy weekend! Hope you guys liked this little update. Leave some reviews? :) Please, please purrty please!?


	15. Chapter 15

"I can't believe he didn't show up." Kai breathlessly said, concentrating on completing her handstand.

It was the following day after Rey and Kylo's last bond connection, Rey felt relieved, free almost from the constant battle within. She thought back to what she learned about meditation, happy with the results from the mornings session.

It was late afternoon now, the sun setting as Rey, Kai, and Flora finished their training for the day, Sano nowhere to be seen.

Rey sighed as she packed her bag. She was not expecting the man to show, but part of her was hopeful. "Maybe tomorrow." She said. Kai and Flora exchanged a look.

"Sure. Maybe tom-" Kai began, but toppled to her side mid handstand, rolling her wrist. Kai cursed, and Rey noticed _Flora_ wince, rolling and popping her _own_ hand.

"Are you alright?" Rey asked, going to the girl to examine the injury.

"I'm fine, I was just unbalanced." Kai said, disappointed with herself.

Flora offered a small smile. "At least you weren't that poor grub on Cinon'Ra." She said to her sister, and the roared with laughter.

Rey stared at them, waiting to be filled in.

Calming down, Kai explained. "We were on Cinon'Ra doing a job for Mello, and we saw this half fish, half human trying to steal a meal from a vendor on the streets. The vendor turned, in just a blink of an eye, grabbed the grub's wrist and chopped his hand off!" Again, the pair laughed, and Rey winced, shocked.

Noticing her reaction, Flora took the lead, her soft tone calming the atmosphere. "No worries, his hand grew back in seconds. The vendor did it again before they got into a fist fight." This time, they softly chuckled, and Flora added "Cinon'Ra is full of the worst kind of people."

Rey smiled, unable to bring herself to laugh. She was still in shock, now at the idea of someone being able to regrow their limb in seconds. She shook herself of the uneasy feeling. "I don't think I've ever heard of Cinon'Ra."

Kai turned to her, her brows raised. "Wow! Good for you. Cinon'Ra is in the depths of the galaxy, beneath an island in the darkest sector. All the criminals and absolute scum live there." She said as the three began to walk back to the base. "It's also where the Knights of Ren reside."

At this, Rey stopped in her tracks, having discovered who the Knights where just last night.

"That's where they stay? In Cinon'Ra? You're sure of this?" she asks eagerly.

The twins share another glance. "Yes. It's common knowledge. They broadcast it so that they are challenged and when they are, they show their power off. No one dares to challenge them." Kai said, rolling her eyes.

"I've never heard of them. Well, until recently. They reported to Snoke?" Rey asked hesitantly. She did not want to get anywhere near the details of how she learned of the group.

"Yes, legend has it that they're trained by the light and dark side of the force. It's what makes them so powerful as a unit." Flora filled in, eyeing Rey carefully.

Rey mulled this information over a bit as they began walking again.

Her fear for Kylo losing the throne was growing, and she felt that she must do something, anything, to ensure that he does not lost his position.

She wondered though, that if helping him keep his spot, would be viewed as her joining the dark, or mingling with it at least. She did not see it as such. Rey told herself that by doing so, she would be helping the Resistance keep safe, for now at least.

She sighed.

She was making progress with Kylo, he was teaching her now. He was willing to show her what was in the texts, and willing to answer the questions she asked. _'This has to be a good sign._ ' She thought.

Rey was quickly brought back to reality when Kai stretched her wrist and was met with a sharp pain, making Kai _and_ Flora groan.

Rey reared in front of the pair and stopped them, tuning into the force as she opened a connection to their minds, barely probing to ensure they were being honest with her when she asked.

"What is going on here? This has happened before today, where one of you gets hurt and the other feels it. I know being twins creates a bond betwe-" Rey stopped for a moment.

Remembering what the texts said, what Kylo translated, and what Luke taught silenced everything around her, focusing on herself. She felt the thump of her heart, her blood as is rushed through her veins, the hairs on her scalp as it tangled with itself.

She was here, this was her… and around her was…life, and decay, as Luke showed her…and within that…the force.

It flew to her, centering from Flora and Kai, intertwining with hers. It was not as strong as Rey's, but either way, it was still there.

"You are bonded! You're both force-sensitive!" Rey exclaimed, grinning. She was happy that the twins held the powers of the force, and even happier that it was so easy for her to sense it from them.

Kai and Flora glanced to one another, wide eyed. Rey felt them both feel a rush of nervousness.

"It's okay, really." And unsure of how else to make them calmer right now, sacred of transferring any light to them, she revealed her truth. "I'm also bonded to another. I've never met anyone else who has been bonded through the force other than…Um, my friend." Rey said, feeling awkward with the word.

Flora's eyes widened, and Kai stared at the ground. "We've never…told anyone… Sano… He figured it out. He tried to use it against us and told Mello. Mello never believed him though. It just made Sano angrier." Flora explained. "As for the force, the only thing we know really is that we share a bond. Nothing else."

Rey felt another wave of uneasiness hit her at the mention of Sano, and she was unable to detect if it came from the girls or herself.

It was true, however. Rey knew deep down that she would never be able to reveal the truth of her bond when it came to Ben. She would never be able to mention he was her bonded, her mate in all of this. It would play out just like it did with Kai and Flora, someone dark out there would punish her for the bond, use it against her.

She promised herself to never let that happen.

The three walked the rest of the way back to the base in silence, the tension slowly easing away as a few porgs joined them.

Thinking back to the knowledge she discovered today, Rey thought a plan to bring it all together.

There was a reason these twins came to her when they did, and that they just so happened to be force-sensitive, and a reason that the Knights lived in a place they had experience with.

With this thought, Rey decided that from here on out, whatever Ben taught her, she would teach them, and only in private, away from the nosiness of resistance members and Sano himself.

' _First though,_ ' Rey thought, ' _I_ _ **must**_ _get that crystal from him, and I_ _ **must**_ _fix my lightsaber._ '

...

Author's Notes:

Yay! 2 chapters. This one was more of a filler, but it was necessary. :D Thanks for the read!


	16. Chapter 16

The following day, Rey was patiently waiting for Flora and Kai to join her in the forest, where she lay out three old, torn rags to sit on, determined to meditate with them, just as Luke did for their first lesson.

After learning that they are force sensitive, she went over the pages she scribbled on while she had studied with Kylo. Frustratingly, she discovered she must have been too eager to write it all down, seeing now that her writing was a mess.

She sighed, flipping one page over, and saw three words she had wrote very clearly. "One…Force…Me." Is all it said. It confused her as to why those three words were elegantly written in the Jedi texts, the words seeming so random to Rey. She hoped one day, she would be able to figure it out.

Biting the inside of her cheek, she continued to think about the words as she placed the papers down on the dirt, and attempted a handstand, eager to try after seeing Flora do so.

Rey struggled at first, but was very quick to catch her balance, wondering if the spike of anxiety she felt wash away was due to the force taking control. Now, though, fully balanced, she timidly withdrew a hand from the ground, balancing on one. Rey grinned, and heard a distant buzz quiet the air around her.

For a moment, she naively hoped it to be a bug, maybe even a ship landing at the base, but when she lifted her chin to peer up, her view was filled with Kylo Ren's black boots, his cape swirling around them.

Rey gasped and immediately toppled over, cursing at him as dust and dirt flew around her. Rey glared up at him as he studied her.

"Why does this even shock you anymore?" He asked, his hands clasped behind his back.

Rey grunted, still frustrated. "You show up at the most random times. I hate not being in control." She said, and her anger grew as he smirked.

Instinctively, her defense arose as her foot kicked up, trying to jab him in the shin. His heavy boot whirled around her ankle and pinned her leg down to the ground, Rey winced and resisted the urge to cry out, biting her lip.

With her other leg, she swung it behind him, kicking his knee in so he was kneeling on the ground, and she hoped to have higher ground, but even kneeling he was so much bigger than her.

He glared at her, surprised that she even attempted to strike him to begin with, but Rey saw the amusement in his eyes, and unfortunately, was distracted by the look when grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her to him as his other gloved hand went around her throat.

To her shock, he did not grab roughly, or even squeeze. Kylo simply left it there, showing his dominance, letting it be known that he could end her right then if he chose to. A _warning_.

With wide eyes, she peered up at him, and watched as his now dark and heated gaze flickered to her throat and back up to her eyes, stopping to admire her lip that she was still biting.

With a light shove, he pushed her back and stood above her again, swallowing hard.

Still laying on the ground, Rey regained control of her breath as she leaned back on her elbows, the thought of his hungry , dark eyes still impressed on her mind.

She watched as Kylo looked away from her, readjusting his gloves, and Rey took this time to study him, as he so often did to her.

She watched as his chest heaved with every breath, recalling the time she had seen him without his shirt when the bond connected them. Quickly, she averted her gaze, and right when she was going to let her eyes hit the ground, she noticed his lightsaber gleaming against his hip, nearly hidden beneath his cape.

Again, heat rolled from her head to her toes as Rey felt the maddening realization hit her, and before she could think about what she was doing, she got to her feet and shoved him hard in the middle of his chest. Kylo clenched his teeth as his back hit the wall of his chambers, and to Rey, hitting nothing at all.

His eyes met her cold glare, and Kylo felt his fist ball. How dare this scavenger lay a hand on him after all he has done, he thought. He had the entire Resistance in his hands and he didn't even stri-

"You have my kyber crystal!" she yelled at him.

Infuriated, he straightened himself, ignoring the sharp pain in his back as he stepped closer to her. Rey crossed her arms and lifted her chin in the air, to which Kylo snarled at her. "And that is why you are throwing a tantrum? I will not deny that I have it, and you will not get it back until you show you are capable of handling it!"

Rey's eyes ceased the glare, surprised by his admission. "Well… I did defeat you, **_several_** times by my count. I demand it back!"

Kylo watched her, his jaw resetting when he stopped himself from fighting with her. He exhaled sharply, knowing that if he pushed her any further, the dark side of the force could latch on much more easily. Shaking his head, he decided he would not let that happen, not this way. He wanted her to join him, knew in fact, that it would happen in due time. But if she surrendered herself to the dark while still oblivious to the hold it could entrap her in, she would be stuck far more deeper than he, and at that point, could possibly be lost to it forever.

It was true, he is part of the dark side, that is what he agreed to when he went with Snoke, letting the dark side tangle with his very being before it took him over. But even at this, he was no sith lord, and doubted he ever would be. Using nothing but dark force corrupted one's mind, and Kylo wanted full reign of that when is officially named Supreme Leader.

Sighing as he came back to Rey, who was now pacing in front of him, he wondered what he would with the scavenger.

"As I said, you will get it back in due time. Now, however, you must continue your training. Your temper is…" he searched for the right words. "Alarming."

Rey stopped pacing, turning to look at him. "Alarming? You let your temper be ruled by your anger and hatred. Why do you care if I do the same? Only difference is, you use it to fuel the dark side." she asked.

"Anger and hatred is not all it takes. As much as I hate to admit it, scavenger, the most wicked monsters are ruled by nothing but that." He said, his voice almost seemed to struggle with that.

For a moment, Rey thought about this.

She had called him a monster before, and truly believed him to be so at one point.

However, back on Ach-To, she saw a vision that she believed to be more real than that, and when he killed his master, she knew it to be true. She knew he had a bad past growing up, and guessed that he must have had a lot of time without Han or Leia since Snoke was constantly around, so much that he was able to seduce Ben to the dark side so easily.

But now that he was dead, she wondered what else drove him to run with the dark if it was not only anger and hate.

"Well… What else is there?" she timidly asked.

Sighing, he let his gaze fall to the floor as Rey began to pace again, slower this time.

"It's not that black and white. It's not just feelings, it's experiences. It's the pull. You can feel the tug the dark side makes, it's a seductive game it plays. The dark gives you what you want, shows you what you need, projects what you can become. All the desires are there that you didn't even know you wished for." Clearing his throat, Kylo felt a sudden turn in his stomach as he remembered the way the dark side pushed to him the first time.

"You feel the taste of the power, the thrill of undiscovered strengths. Once you get a glimpse of it, it never stops growing, and all the anger and hate you once felt is lost. And you see and feel nothing _but_ simply power."

Rey stopped her pacing, looking to him again, studying the face he was making. He seemed almost hungry, almost desperate for her to understand. Thinking about it now, she remembered the cave on Luke's island as it called to her, and the fight with Sano when the power overtook her. She could feel the pull then, and she could almost taste it now.

Meeting his eyes, she saw he was eagerly waiting for a response. And almost frightened, she asked. "And…That's what you want me to be part of? To be lost to the dark side, enveloped in power that will eat me alive?"

His eyes softened, his tone growing more steadily. "I want you to see your potential, and rise to it, to grasp the power and become something great, something better than the resistance, and something better than your parents."

Feeling the raw truth Ben told, she stared silently at him, unsure of what she could say. There was something deep within her that wanted this, she could feel it rising in her belly and jolting every nerve as they spoke, but Rey was determined to not let Ben see this, and tried her best to build the block up over and over to ensure he would not peer into her mind.

Licking at her lips, Rey tried to make sense of it from her side. "Why kill everyone in the galaxy just to feel a sense of power?"

Kylo stepped closer to her, peering down at her, and for a moment Rey lost her breath. "Why destroy that power just to die with everyone in the galaxy?"

And in the blink of an eye, Kylo faded from her vision as the sound of Porgs chirped around her, Flora and Kai's voices nearing as they walked towards Rey.

Steadying herself, Rey tried to blink her thoughts away and focus on the girls, but one idea stayed with Rey for the remainder of the day.

'If I opened myself up to this power, to the darkside… could I, in turn, save the galaxy?'


	17. Chapter 17

"Why is it called ' _Projection_ '?" Rey asked Kylo.

It was two days after their last encounter, Rey now determined to learn all she can no matter if it was light or dark, good or bad. She felt that what was needed was to gain the power that was required to save her friends, and if possible, Ben Solo.

She was just very scared to do it.

Biting the inside of her cheek, she clasped her hands in her lap, sitting across from Kylo who was hovering over the books. Rey felt these moments were rather intimate, alone with the most fearful man in the galaxy, tucked away in her room as he taught her what he knew from the sacred Jedi texts.

"Mmmm." Was the only response she received from Kylo. She watched as his brows furrowed, his face getting closer to the book, and her gaze fell on his ungloved hand, admiring the length and width of it. She remembered how rough it felt when they touched hands on Ach-to, and how warm it was to her own touch. She wondered if it would happen again, and if so, if the visions would come back.

Inhaling sharoly, Kylo flipped the page, studying hard again. Rey knew not to ask him the same question when he was so focused on something. It irritated her, but dealing with Kylo's frustration was not something she wanted to handle right now.

He quickly closed the book and tossed it to her, and Rey let it fall in her lap, then placing it to her side.

"Projection. They are mind tricks-" he began.

"Like the one you did on me." Rey said, smiling when he glared at her.

"Yes. That was a mind trick. I believe you are familiar with that, since you were able to use it to your advantage when you escaped Starkiller Base." Kylo paused, his eyes flickering to her direction when he felt the wave of satisfaction roll off of her. He rolled his eyes, glad that she was gaining control on her emotions, and now able to build up her block so that he was not able to surpass it. This, however, she let him feel full on.

"Anyway… Projection is similar, when you focus on your target, you can make them feel your presence in other areas. For example, I am in front of you, and if I wanted to, I could make you believe I was behind you, or in even in the other room, all while still standing right here." He explained, Rey leaned forward, intrigued with this new information.

"Why don't you try it?" she asked, and her innocent eyes and soft, dream like tone froze him.

At times like these, when they connected through the force bond, he did admire her looks when she isnt't looking. ' ** _Hell, even when she is_** …'he thought. Her cheeks were nearly always pink, almost as pink as her lips. And her eyes, always big and curious, as if she was seeing absolutely everything for the first time.

He had to admit, he was completely captivated. She was extremely powerful, strong beyond her years, and breathtakingly beautiful, and she had no idea of any of this.

Shaking his head, he broke his gaze from hers as he sighed.' ** _She is a distraction._** '

"When you do that, it takes a great deal of strength and power from you, and I do not particularly feel like being exhausted at the moment." Kylo said, standing now.

For a moment, Rey looked him over, studying the dark, purple circles beneath his eyes. "You already are exhausted. You're not sleeping?" she asked, standing as well.

"Not really." He said simply, his face blank. Rey recognized that he did not like being studied, and that she could pick up that he was not sleeping well. She wondered if she should do the same when people read her, to put the block up at every chance.

"Why?" she asked, causing Kylo to shift his weight to his other foot. He thought about telling Rey of Hux's constant tip-toeing and frustrating secret-planning, but swiftly decided against it. He truly wanted to tell her, though he knew better, knowing that this would be too much information, and that one day she will be on his side and fully aware of every detail, however now was not the time.

Without answering, he raised his chin, just barely, but enough of a signal for Rey to know she would not be getting a reply on this. Nodding, she decided to go back to today's lesson.

"So, how would you channel this…Projection?"

Silent for a moment, Kylo thought about this, trying to find the words to best describe it. "I've only tried it a few times. When you fe-" Kylo abruptly stopped when he heard a very light, distant knock from Rey's side, and she quickly went to an area he could only guess was the door to her chambers.

She turned to Kylo, her eyes wide. He, however, refused to turn or give her any privacy here, even though he would not be able to see who was on the other side of the door unless said person touched her.

His eyebrow lifted, and her mouth opened to say something to him, but quickly shut it.

"Who is it?" she yelled, not opening the door out of fear that whoever was on the other side would possibly leak any information to the Resistance whereabouts. It was a low chance, but still was not one Rey was willing to take.

"It's Poe! Finn and Rose are on their way back and should be here shortly! Come have lunch with me before they get here?" he asked, and Rey could hear the grin in his voice.

"I'll be there in a bit, please just leave me for a moment!" Rey replied, trying her best to hide the panic. Looking back at Kylo, she watched wide eyed as he took a step closer, his eyes mischievous.

' _He knows very well who is on the other side of the door. I'm pretty sure he heard him…_ ' Rey thought, gulping when he took another step closer. Turning now, she pressed her back against the door, her breathing growing heavy as she watched Kylo.

"No problem…Are you okay? You sound a little…worried." Poe said.

Rey could hear Poe was getting closer to the door, and with Kylo now towering over her, his expression mixed with rage and curiosity, she was reminded of how he looked when he was interrogating her when they first met.

Clearing her throat, and not taking her eyes off of Kylo's, she called back to Poe. "I'm fine. A moment, please." She said, her voice now stern. Rey and Kylo stared at one another, their gaze daring one another to make a move.

From the other side of the door, Poe shuffled his feet, unsure if he should stay and accompany her. She did sound off, unusual for Rey…

Sighing, Poe told Rey he would meet her in the cafeteria and slowly left.

Kylo lowered his head, his face inches from Rey's as he studied her face, and Rey could feel he was probing her mind, searching for any sign of emotion or thought of the pilot.

Swallowing hard, she pushed back. She would not let him win this one.

After several moments of attempting to dominate one another, Kylo backed off, disappointed that he was not able to detect any feeling from her, but satisfied that she was strengthening her block so well.

Rey could feel he was reeling away, his push on her mind retreating. He, however, did not physically move. He stayed towering over her, his sweet breath hitting her in heavy waves as they looked one another in the eye.

Their gaze never fell, until he eyes drifted down, painfully slow, to her parted lips. For a moment, she thought he would do something else, come closer maybe, and she would be a fool to deny that she nearly wanted him to.

Doing a quick check, she made sure this was not a mind trick, and was happy to confirm it wasn't.

Slowly inching forward, Rey searched his face to see if this was the right thing to do, and saw no sign that it wasn't. His dark eyes were admiring her face, the hungry look returning and casting fire to the pit of her belly.

As she came closer, he did as well, nearly expecting her to stop. Her block was slowly lowering, and he could feel the curiosity and desire rolling off of her, electrifying a dark, hungry need within him.

From the other side of the door, cheers and laughter erupted, filling the halls of the base. Rey felt that Finn and Rose were home now.

Crashing back to reality, Rey blinked a few times as she gained her composure again, and so did Kylo. His chin lifted slightly, though he did not move away, their faces only an inch apart now. He could feel the force drawing him home now, and the bond was fading out.

His eyes stayed on hers, and for a moment, Rey was lost.

"Scavenger." He said, his voice low and husky.

"Ben." She returned, her own tone soft and inviting.

When Rey blinked, the bond severed, and Kylo was gone.

In his chambers, Kylo leaned forward and rested his forehead against the wall he was facing, swearing he could still smell her sweet, floral scent.

In her room, Rey slid down the door, sitting on the ground as she sighed, thinking about what almost happened…What she _wanted_.

...

Author's Notes:

Thanks for the new reads and favorites! Your feedback is amazing so far, and I absolutely appreciate every bit of it! With that said, leave me a little note? :D

Big things coming up, stay tuned!


	18. Chapter 18

"Finn! Rose!" Rey exclaimed, jogging to greet her friends. She embraced them both, hugging tightly and they each returned the affection.

"Rey! It feels like it's been so long." Rose said, grinning. Rey took a step back and admired the newlyweds.

"You both look so happy. I assume it was a great getaway?" Rey asked. Her smile was beginning to hurt her cheeks, and it hadn't hit her until then that she deeply missed the company of them.

"It was amazing. The view was just unbelievable!" Finn said, placing a couple of their bags down. The crowd around them was starting to drift away, everyone on the base coming to say hello to the two people that many called heroes. It brought Rey such joy to see the impact the two had on everyone.

"Have we missed much?" Rose asked as she looked around the base, and her eyes stopped at a tall man glaring at them from across the courtyard. Rey turned to glimpse at what caused Rose to freeze, and Finn's gaze followed.

Rey rolled her eyes. "That's Sano, one of the new members here. He isn't taking a liking to being here, to say the least…" Rey glanced to the ground as she turned around back to her friends.

"What happened?" Rose asked, taking another quick peek to Sano, but he was gone.

"More like what hasn't happened… It's a story for another day. Just stay away from him, if you can, for now at least." Rey said, noticing that Finn was still looking around for him. For a moment, Rey felt quite bad, knowing all too well that his fighting instincts kicked in very quickly. She knew that all Finn wanted was peace, even if it meant leaving the resistance. Rey hated to be the one to bring the pair back to reality.

Sighing, Rey spotted Flora and Kai coming back from the training base and called them over.

"And who are they?" Finn asked, his hands in his back pockets as he timidly watched his new wife eagerly greet the girls.

"Hi! I'm Rose." She said, sticking her hand out when the twins approached them.

Flora and Kai shared a glance, and they both smiled at the girl, happy with her excitement.

"I'm Flora! This is my sister, Kai." Kai nodded towards them both, smiling politely. Finn did the same. Turning to Rey, Flora looked at her curiously. "We waited with Poe in the cafeteria. Where were you? He said you sounded odd."

Right then, all four of them turned to Rey, studying her and waiting for a response. Clearing her throat, she built her block up and made sure to look at them blankly, just as Kylo did. "I wasn't feeling too well. All better now." She said, her voice stern and even. Rose and Finn easily bought it, Flora and Kai however, second guessed it.

"Really?" Kai said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Eyeing them carefully, she pushed gently into their mind. ' _Yes, now drop it_.'

Flora and Kai looked to one another again, eyes wide, then turning back to Rey they both grinned, the first time that Rey had ever seen Kai do so, obviously impressed.

Rey returned their smile, and they all walked to the meeting hall where Leia had invited them.

Staying back for a moment, Finn joined Rey so they could talk one on one as Rose, Flora, and Kai walked on, laughing at whatever story Rose told them.

Finn turned around, making sure the area was clear. "So, what's happening? What's the plan? Oh, no do not look at me like that. You rebels all have the same look in your eye when you're planning something, especially you." He said.

Rey couldn't help but smile, knowing she was found out from the moment she spotted Sano. She didn't mean to pry, but she purposely focused her reaction so that Finn could see it, gently poking at his mind so he would catch on.

' _And he did._ ' She thought.

Glancing down, tension crawled up her spine, and her smile washed away, causing Finn to step closer.

"Finn, there's something I have to get from Sano. He does not have good intentions here, and I have tried to give him a chance, but he refuses to take it. He has something I need, and I need to get it before he realizes what it is." She explained, her eyes meeting his. He noticed how serious her tone was, and how quickly her expression changed. Finn knew without a doubt how serious this was.

"Okay, what is it you need?" he asked.

For a moment, Rey weighed the option of telling him, unsure if it would be the best decision to do so. If she did, there's the chance that Sano could find out somehow… If she didn't, at least someone else out there knew about the crystal…Thankfully, Finn made the choice for her.

"Fine, I don't need to know. Maybe it's best I don't know. With that said, what's the plan?" Finn asked, fully game for whatever was about to go down.

Rey smiled at her friend, her partner.

…..

Later on that day, Rey was able to track down the bunker Sano stayed in, all thanks to Finn fishing it out of a very stubborn Resistance member who handled organizing rooms and ship docking. He was also able to confirm that Sano had no ship, and only traveled in with one small bag.

"Alright, C3-PO said he's in the docking area, apparently asking around about the nearest cities. He must be doing some planning of his own. Now or never." Finn said, sweat beading his forehead. Rey quickly nodded, trying to calm her nerves as she paced her room.

"Go, BB-8 is waiting near the east exit of the hall. As soon as I'm done, I'll have R2 send a signal to BB-8 to let you know it's clear and you can leave. Remember Finn, he is not a good guy. He didn't travel with much, so I should be in and out."

With a quick nod, Rey and Finn departed, Finn running down the long main hall to find the exit he was told to go to, and Rey taking off towards the bunkers.

Slowing down when some members stopped to watch her, she smiled to them, and once their backs turned to her again, she began to run once more.

Turning the corner, she spotted R2-D2 , who rocked from side to side when he spotted her. She smiled to the droid as she tried to gain her breath, her throat hurting and head pounding as the anticipation rose.

R2 beeped loudly, and Rey quickly shushed him as few members whipped around to their direction. Rey pretended to clean a few smudges around R2, who greatly appreciated it, oblivious to the task at hand. Once the hall was clear, she sent R2 a knowing nodding, who hummed a response back to her.

Rey crept her way inside to the empty room, passing by a few bare beds that belonged to no one, and came across the only bed that was not made, the blanket thrown carelessly to the floor.

' _This one is his, no doubt about it_.' Rey thought, and with a quick glance behind her, she saw no one in the room. Bending down, she began rummaging through the bedside dresser, throwing around a few items of clothes, a random droid repair kit, a map, and packages of stolen portions.

Slamming her palm against the dresser, Rey cursed. It wasn't here.

Sighing as she felt the anger and disappointment rise, she shut her eyes tight, tapping into the force with such haste and rage that nearly made her lose control. Remembering the first time she saw it, she could see the crystal on his ring back in the cafeteria, and thinking about it, her stomach tightened as it hummed to her again. This time, the urgency made her anxious, almost sick with the need for it.

In that moment, Rey was scared with the truth. She would have done _**anything**_ to get it.

' _No! This is the dark side…Do not think like this…_ ' Rey yelled at her own mind, and again, tried to connect with the force, this time more gently, pushing that dark, hefty desire away.

She could sense it was not here in the room.

Cursing again, her eyes slowly opened, defeat filling her insides, weighing on her mind.

When she looked down to the dresser to put Sano's belongings back so that he would not suspect anything, her gaze landed on something Rey had cast aside.

It was the map…

With her heart stopping, her eyes went wide, and without hesitating she stuffed the map beneath the wraps around her ribs.

Quickly placing everything else back inside the drawer, she left the room, running right past R2 as she called back to him to alert BB-8. R2 eagerly whistled out his alert as Rey ran to meet Finn, who was distracting Sano at the ship docking bay.

As she ran, Rey couldn't help but smile as she felt the light scrape of thick paper tickling her ribs, the paper that mapped out a journey to Cinnon'Ra, home of the Knights of Ren.

...

:D I actually really liked writing this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed! Feel free to leave some love!


	19. Chapter 19

"So, you didn't speak with him?" Rey asked.

Finn hung his head, his silence was the only confirmation Rey needed.

The pair were back at the entrance of the base, recapping their side of what happened.

"No. He does look pretty scary. I didn't want to talk to him unless he started coming back, which he didn't. Rey, he was eyeing the ships pretty hard. Think he'll be try to make an escape?" Finn asked, studying her face.

Rey sighed, without a doubt she knew Sano would be trying to leave, she just didn't know when, and she could only guess he was trying to get to Cinnon'Ra, for whatever reason. She was determined to find out his ties to the knights of Ren. From what Flora and Kai told her of the place, it wasn't somewhere one would go for a vacation, or to start over for that matter.

"Yes, without a doubt. I wasn't able to find what I needed."

"Better get it before he leaves." Finn said as Rey's headache grew. Sighing again as she looked up to meet his eyes, the familiar buzz surrounded her as the force bond connected her and Kylo, who stood a few feet behind Finn.

Rey's eyes widened and Finn moved his head so that she was looking at him directly instead of past him.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked, his hand touching her arm, Kylo coming back into view.

Kylo's eyes squinted into a glare as he watched the traitor, able to see him now that he was touching Rey. A sudden fury exploded in his abdomen, surprising him. He wasn't sure if he was more upset that the traitor was there, or if it was the traitor touching Rey.

"Uh-um, yes. I have to go. Thank you for everything, I truly appreciate it Finn." Rey said, brushing past him and Kylo. She quickly walked into the forest, knowing that Kylo was following her, until she felt him stop a few feet back.

She looked at him curiously. "Why did you stop?"

Kylo looked around blankly. "I'm in the corner of the prisoner barracks, no more room to walk."

Sighing, Rey nodded as glanced around, making sure no one else was around. Looking back to Kylo, she steadied her breath.

"I need that crystal back." She said, her tone quiet yet assertive.

Kylo straightened, his body language told her he was gearing up for a fight, and she took a step forward, making him still.

Looking him dead in his eyes, she channeled the warmth of the force, falling evenly into the steady rhythm of the life and decay around her, focusing her energy and concentration on him.

"You will hand over my kyber crystal." Rey said, her tone angelic, softer than he ever heard it.

For a moment, Kylo was entrapped there, his body frozen, his blood warm, the air around him stilled. His mind was calm, for the first time since he was a child. His hand twitched to move along the inside of his cape, itching to grab hold of the crystal that lay hidden there.

Her eyes were so dream-like…Inviting him…a mix of warmth and cool…an even balance…and her voice, the softness was welco-

At that moment, his mind was heavy again, his body went back to being tense.

Kylo glared at her as he realized she tried to mind trick him.

Rey's eyes widened when she saw the trick didn't work, equally disappointed yet not fully surprised, knowing his mind was not as weak as any others.

Her mouth moved into a tight line, her jaw tense.

"You'll have to try harder than that, _scavenger_." He snarled at her.

"Nearly worked though, caught you off guard. I felt that much." She bit back.

Kylo circled her, watching Rey as she slowly let the defeat take over her. Her shoulders slumped, her breathing escalated.

He could feel the worry and anxiety steaming off of her. Stopping in front of Rey, he peered into her mind, and right before she felt him and put her block up again, he saw she was trying to get another crystal.

"Caught you off guard as well, hmm? Why are you trying to get that crystal?" Kylo asked, his eyes piercing hers.

Rey glanced to the ground, debating telling him, but knew he already saw the crystal, and cursed herself for letting him see that much.

"It's… I just need it, okay? It calls to me. It hums, and I feel the intensity in my bones, thinking about it alone causes the same feeling. I feel almost sick when I'm not around it." She said, the words pouring from her, and Kylo watched as the eager passion spilled from her, over this crystal.

He knew all too well what it was.

"Ah, you've found a dark crystal."

Rey whipped her gaze to him, unsure if she heard correctly.

"Dark crystal?" she asked.

"Who is the owner of the crystal, as of now?" he asked, making sure his eagerness did not show. He felt the hum of the crystal, even though it did not call directly to him, through Rey he was able to see the chaos it held, and knew that if the crystal was to brand her, she would be pushed farther to the dark.

Rey hesitated, and Kylo knew she would not tell him. Frustration hit him instantly, feeling no other way around the matter at hand.

"Rey, stay away from the crystal. It's a dark crystal, whoever is the owner of it right now has influenced the kyber, heavily, to say the very least." Kylo's voice was almost aggressive as he nearly begged her to stay away from it.

Pondering this, Rey turned from him, her back to him. "But, this person who has it, is not a force user. I checked…"

Kylo exhaled hastily, as he moved to her, grasping the back of her arm and turning her to face him, frightening her. "Rey, stay away from this! Just because someone does not use the force does not mean they are not of the dark or light side. When a kyber crystal calls to you, it has chosen you as it's keeper, even if it belongs to someone else. Whatever emotion, or vibe you give off, the kyber captures it until it is molded to your saber."

Rey gulped as she stared up at Kylo, she was frightened that this was so important to him that she had nothing to do with Sano's crystal. "What happens when it's molded to my saber?"

Letting go of her arm, he stepped back, his voice huskier than before as the reality of his words set in for both of them. "It can influence your choice to the light or dark side."

Her headache returned, and Rey closed her eyes as she rubbed at her temple.

"Alright… But, I will not be joining the dark side… I will not. What's to happen if the person that has it, keeps it? They've already made such an impact on it already… I could destroy it." She said, and opening her eyes she watched as Kylo shook his head.

"No, that won't work. If it's calling to you so intensely, when you simply think about it, there is no way you would deny the brand, even if it's to save your little Rebellion." Kylo said.

They both watched one another, a silent plea in his eyes and fear in hers.

Rey wondered if he had any experience with any other kyber than his own, but his head quickly whipped around, and she felt absolute rage fill the air around them.

"What's hap-" she began to ask, but he interrupted her as she felt the bond tugging away.

"My… mother. She's coming to you. I can feel her…" He said, his voice tight as he turned and peered down to her.

"But, what if-"

" _ **Rey, stay away from it.**_ " He ordered, the bond cutting their connection and in that instant he was gone.

Rey gulped, running a small hand down her face as she tried to gain control of herself. She cleared her throat, and turned around to see Leia making her way to her on the path from the base to the forest.

"Rey?" Leia called, and Rey went to her, trying her best to offer her the best polite smile she could gather up.

"I'm here." Rey said, face to face with the general. Leia studied the girls face for a moment, quickly Rey put up the block even higher, just to make sure. She knew Leia was force sensitive, and even though her use was not trained, Rey was not willing to take any chances.

"I could have sworn…I thought… I thought I felt Ben." Leia whispered, shaking her head as her eyes fell. For a moment, Rey's heart broke.

The past few months were hard for them both, grieving the loss of Han and Luke, and Rey knew that Leia felt lost, even lonely. There were really not any words Rey could offer her in the time of need when Leia was mourning the loss of her husband, her brother, and even her son, who was lost to the dark side as he hunted her.

"I'm sorry, dear. I know we haven't had the chance to talk lately, but I had to find you. R2 told me you required his assistance in rummaging through the bunkers. Is everything okay?" Leia asked, and for a moment Rey felt a twinge of annoyance at the droid for not keeping it's trap shut, but knew deep down R2 was fully devoted to the general.

"It's Sano. I think he's planning an escape, Finn spotted him eyeing the ships quite a bit, and he's been very… hostile." Rey explained. Leia nodded, and hooked her arm through Rey's as they walked back to the base.

"I could sense that. C3-PO is keeping tabs on him, though he isn't very reliable these days. I'll up security and keep a better eye on him, and we'll make sure to double up on watch around the docks. I'm sorry it didn't work out with him. I'm just tired of losing people, and losing faith in people." Leia said with a sad smile.

For a moment, Rey wanted to tell her about Ben and the bond they shared, the crystal and map to Cinnon'Ra. However, Rey knew very well that just like her son, Leia would try to stop her from getting the crystal, and she wasn't ready to let go of that.

To Rey, getting the crystal from Sano meant that he would not be of much threat to the resistance, and if Rey herself destroyed that crystal, she could ensure no one else got their hands on it.

With that in mind, Rey decided that later that night, she would return to Sano's bunker and take the ring while he was there.

' _Tonight, it will be mine.'_

 _..._

 _:D Thank you for reading! Has anyone seen Solo yet? I plan on going this weekend._


	20. Chapter 20

She waited.

She paced.

She meditated.

She swung her staff around in her room, practicing with it, familiarizing herself with it again.

She waited some more.

She paced until her feet hurt.

She returned to meditating.

...

It had been several agonizing hours for Rey, who was restless with anxiety and impatience. She had to pass the time though, not wanting to alert anyone on the base of her plan, and to Rey the easiest way of doing this was by staying in her room.

For a while, she sat with her ear to the door, listening as the halls quieted down as the night passed, members of the resistance wishing others a good nights sleep. Rey decided that was not the time to go, no matter how frustrated it made her, she wanted to make sure everyone was well asleep before she went out.

Sighing, she straightened her back as she sat cross legged in the middle of her room, eyes closed as she meditated again.

Zoning in on the force, she focused on the warm center of it, letting everything fall around her as her mind cleared itself.

She thought about Leia's kyber crystal, following every sharp edge and perfect curve in her mind's eye. It hummed to her as she remembered it, calming her nerves and giving Rey a sense of powerful fulfillment. This crystal represented peace, Rey felt it in her blood as it coursed through her, a feeling she longed for since she was just a little girl stranded in the desert.

Slowly, her mind transitioned to the image of Sano's kyber crystal, nestled in the middle of his ring. The edges were sharper, the points reminding Rey of tiny thorns, and just like Leia's crystal, this one hummed, so loud it nearly tickled her ears with the vibrations. This crystal, she realized, represented rage, and she felt this in her bones as it pricked and stabbed at her with anger, and hateful passion, so raw it was almost unbearable.

The war began within her again, light and dark, good and evil, tugging at her very being as she struggled to focus on her goal, to save them...to save them all… Or let them fall, and become who she was meant to be…

Light crystal. Dark crystal. Light crystal. Dark crystal.

The decision was made.

Suddenly, she felt a shaking jolt through the force, and if she had been standing, Rey knew she would have fallen over with how hard it shook her. She felt like a whole other person, seeing the world for the first time.

Rey gasped, the feeling was overwhelming. She stuck her arm in front of her face, studying her skin, and realized she felt no weight to it, as if she herself was weightless as she moved so easily and swiftly, and shockingly, she moved before she even thought to.

Standing now, she stretched, moving her body around and wakening her muscles. She felt as though she had trained for months and months, never stopping.

She felt…powerful.

She felt… _Unstoppable_.

Without hesitation, she grabbed her staff. ' _Now is the time_.'

Rey crept out of her room, quietly closing the door as she made her way down the long hall and tip-toeing her way to the bunkers.

As Leia said she would do, security was on higher alert than normal, guards doubled at every corner. Luckily for Rey, however, she was very well known to the Resistance base, and they gave her no trouble as she passed them, and went back to tip toeing when they were out of view.

Coming up to the bunkers again, she inhaled as she shut her eyes, calming her nerves as Rey remembered her objective. ' _Get the crystal, get out.'_ She thought, and with that, she quietly attempted to unlock the door, only to see it was locked.

' _Good, he's here_.'

Pulling the passkey from the wraps at her ribs, she unlocked the door, wincing when it beeped. She waited a moment to make sure no one inside suspected anything, and with that, she let herself in.

…..

His head was throbbing, absolutely killing him.

Kylo knew he was exhausted, having barely slept at all lately due to keeping tabs on Hux and trying to make sure he had no time to plan any treachery.

But, on top of that, he could feel the scavenger's internal battle, reaching him even outside the bond. He thought the training he provided lately would help, but it seemed it was only causing more built up anger within her, and he seriously debated just handing over the crystal.

He could not lie.

He was dealing with a battle himself, unsure what to do. At what point would he stop teaching the girl? At what point is the dark side too much?

"Supreme leader?" Hux called.

At the moment, Kylo and Hux stood next to one another as they peered down to the level below them. Hux was proudly showing off the flamethrower troops new armor. He was growing extremely annoyed with his master's constant company,it was getting increasingly harder to hide his frustration with Kylo Ren.

"Looks fine." Kylo said, keeping it short and simple. He glanced down to the troops, all aligned as they were being evaluated. He stared blankly at them, his mind elsewhere.

Hux scoffed, tensing when he realized Kylo noticed.

"Something to say?" Kylo asked, glaring at him as he stepped closer, making Hux gulp.

"No, sir. If the appearance isn't to your standards, we can change it, though it protects the weaponry very well…" Hux said, his voice trembling.

Now, it was Kylo's turn to scoff. Hux's mind was never on the troopers, but on the weapon itself. It's what Snoke liked, and it left a sour taste in Kylo's mouth as he was reminded about the previous leader.

"Interesting thinking, just like Snoke wished for, of course with you being his pet-"

Kylo stopped when he felt a sharp quake around him, and he recognized this to be a shift in the force.

He knew then, her decision about which side she had chosen, was made.

A moment of hope passed, and Kylo was quickly disgusted with the idea of feeling it.

Clearing his throat, Kylo excused himself from Hux, who glared at his leader once his back was turned to him as Kylo quickly left.

A few moments later, as he made his way back to his chambers, he felt the familiar buzz soak the air around him as he was connected to Rey, this time though, he was not able to see her.

He whipped around, eyeing every inch of the shiny, dark hall he was sounded by. She was nowhere near him, yet he could feel her every emotion, every sting of panic that course through her and into him.

She was scared, absolutely _**frightened**_.

Something was happening, and he was connected to it.

Breaking out into a sweat, Kylo tried to peer into her mind, but was unable to see any-

Right then, a piercing burn shot through his abdomen, stinging the flesh beneath his clothes, burning skin and bone.

Gasping sharply, he fell against the wall, and looked down to see he was not harmed at all, but was still able to feel the excruciating pain pricking his body.

Kylo gulped, pushing off from the wall and running to his chambers, where the source of Rey was pulsating.

Trying to gain his breath, he entered his chambers as the door automatically closed behind him, his eyes frantically scanning his room.

Kylo froze as he saw her leg twitch from the floor behind his desk.

Running over to her, he turned the corner of the desk to see her clutching her stomach, blood pouring from her wound as her breath sputtered in, out.

"Rey." He said, his voice a mix of pain, anger, and worry.

She looked up at him, her chest beginning to give out as her breath slowed.

He knelt to her, his eyes wide on her wound.

Rey tried to talk, blood splattering out as her mouth opened, her teeth blood-stained.

"Where are you?" he asked, his stomach rolling at the sight of her, and the pain he still felt. Worry took over him, anxiety killing him as the rage built at whoever did this.

Her eyes widened, still trying to catch her breath.

He realized what he was asking, and before he could even think about it, he muttered a promise he wasn't sure he would be able to keep.

"I will not harm anyone from your base. You need help. Where are you, Rey?"

His hand fell to her arm as he kept her eyes on his.

She coughed once, shuddering as tears rolled from her eyes, teeth chattering.

"Ex…Excor-" She stopped, the pain silencing her as her spine bucked. As Kylo's other hand reached up to touch her cheek, the force bond ripped them apart, harsher and more suddenly than ever before.

He reached out to her through the force, and he received nothing but mute static. She was gone.

Standing, he tried to regain his breath, his abdomen sore and throbbing.

' ** _What are my intentions?_** ' he thought. ' _ **Save her, and leave my enemies alone? Not reveal their location? Is this scavenger even worth it, to pause a war? And to leave Hux here, alone with my army?**_ '

With that, he quickly left his chambers, heading to the bay to board his personal ship, and make his way to Excora, to save the scavenger.

To save _Rey_.

...

:O

Thank you for the reads and comments! It's so interesting to see such mixed reviews for Solo. Checking it out tomorrow, I'm not expecting an out of this world movie, but it's friggin Star Wars so I'm gonna love it anyway..

Anwayyyysss, hope you guys liked this chapter, it's gonna be a little intense for the next few. Reviews and likes/follows are loved and appreciated!

Also, I fixed the C-3PO typos, my apologies! At least I didn't put "SeeThreePeeOhh"...haha? I'm so immature.. Lol.


	21. Chapter 21

Creeping into the dark and silent room, Rey held her breath as her feet lightly moved across the floor, noticing the empty beds she had passed earlier. She was not expecting Sano to be the only person to stay in the room, though she was not surprised given his attitude since he arrived.

Swallowing hard as the door shut, she used the little light that was offered to her from the hall, reaching her beneath the door. Sneaking to the edge of the bunk Sano claimed, she let the force take over her, not wanting to tune into it in fear that it would distract her before.

Rey allowed the flow to quiet her nerves, and as the force overcame her, she realized the presence in the room was Sano, but he was awake, as if expecting her.

With that, her eyes widened as the light flickered on above her, the dim bulb clinging on to dear life.

Sano filled her view, sitting up in his bed, glaring at her with cold, empty eyes. His fingers drummed against his leg, and Rey's blood ran cold as her eyes trailed down to his other hand that was holding a black and red blaster, pointed directly at her.

Ideas rushed through her head, ten at a time, on how to get out of the situation, thinking of how to conjure up the force to block his shot if her dared to fire, but in the moment, she could not deny that her fear took over, and everything else was blocked out.

"Sano, please." she begged.

"Don't you start. I don't know why you are here, but I could only guess it was you that came looking for something. I know you took the map. But, why would you return?" He asked, almost to himself. He steadily kept the blaster pointed at her as he stood from the bed, stepping closer to her.

"Tell me. Why are you trying to get to Cinnon'Ra?" Sano's hooded and angry gaze scared her just as much as his frigid and emotionless tone.

All Rey could do was stare up at him, her breathing growing heavy, as she felt the cold, hard metal of his blaster touch her through the cloth on her stomach.

She debated mind tricking him, maybe even out-maneuvering him and fighting him off, but she was in the end, weaponless, and he was the one with the big blaster placed directly on her. She couldn't take the chance of moving, or even trying any trick on him, not sure that it would work after trying it on Kylo Ren.

Sano moved the blaster from her abdomen, and pointed it directly at her forehead as he backed her up against the wall. "Tell me!"

Whimpering, Rey shook her head, not having any answer she could possibly give him, and from the corner of her view, she saw the glint of the kyber crystal shine from the hand that held the gun.

The hum was more vibrant than ever, the hunger and pull hitting her harder. Simply being so close to it was satisfying, but her hand twitched for it, her desire aching. Rey wanted to break from it, to shake her head in hopes that the trance would end, but she couldn't.

With a furrowed brow, Sano watched her eyes grow dark as she watched the ring on his finger. Adjusting the gun slightly so he could turn and look at his own hand, Rey noticed his slight distraction and acted on the chance now that the gun was not pointed towards her.

Ducking beneath his arm, she pushed with all her weight to take him to the ground, knocking him over a small chest that lay in front of an empty bed. Sano yelled his frustration, his hand losing the grip he had on the blaster as it slid from his hand and clattered to the floor.

His fist swung to hit her side as she crashed onto him, Sano's hit missing as they both fell to the ground.

Sano quickly bucked beneath her, flipping Rey onto her back as his elbow came down to connect with her cheek, however Rey sensed this and moved her head to the side before she was hit, a swift reminder of the force that beckoned her to use it's will, just as the ring came back into view as he aimed to strike again.

Unwillingly, her mind reached out to Kylo, begging the bond to open, but nothing happened, and distracted by her mind's call, she was hit in the stomach by a large fist that knocked the breath from her.

Wincing as Sano pushed himself off of her, kicking her in the same spot he had previously hit, he stood and she watched as he reached for the blaster and pointed it at her again. He scowled at her, his hand gripping the gun as he towered over her, Rey holding her injured side that was already turning black and blue.

Sano knew he had to make this quick, with all the noise, he was sure someone would have heard by now.

"Listen here, Jedi. I won." Sano spat, the blaster pointed only a couple of inches away from her abdomen. She lifted a weak hand and placed it over his as he gripped the gun tighter.

For a moment, he felt a rush of warmth and peace wash over him, nearly making him question why he was doing this, and the feeling was quickly gone when he felt Rey shudder, peering up at him with tear stained cheeks. He knew then, he had broken her bones with that kick.

Regaining his composure, remembering the challenge, remembering why he was there to begin with and the mission he had to accomplish, he shrugged her small hand off of his, pressed the point of the blaster to her bruised stomach, and fired his weapon.

 **\- X -**

"Re- Supreme Leader! Where are you going? We haven't gotten the fleet together, we can ready them up i-" Hux began through his comm channel to Kylo Ren, who was piloting his personal ship.

Kylo cursed, muting the general, hissing through his teeth as call beacon came in again.

Here he was, trying to save the same scavenger that refused him, tried to kill him, to end his rule…

Shaking his head, he clenched his teeth as he took off, his ship flying through lightspeed as he weighed his options and came up with a plan.

After some time, Kylo's ship came into view of a small island of the empty planet, Excora. In the dark of the night, he was able to easily spot the base he knew Rey was at. Using the force, he tried to reach out to her again as he attempted numerous times on his way out there, but was unsuccessful once more.

He was about to curse again, but was stopped abruptly as he watched a rouge ship take off from the base, bullets and blaster shots gunning for the rear of it, missing terribly. Kylo quickly moved his ship to the side of the island, out of view from the base but was able to keep watch on the other ship as it reared around and aimed back towards the grounds, shooting it's own retaliation.

Kylo thought for a moment as chaos erupted before him. He could not think of anyone who would be behind this, keeping in mind that he had his own eyes on Hux at all times. In no way could it be a troop from the First order.

Which meant, he thought, the Resistance leader must have angered someone.

He gulped, not having thought of her for quite some time. Kylo knew she was here, just inside that base that this stranger was shooting up…

Moving his ship just a bit, he watched the base, his mind timidly reaching out to feel her presence, and felt it so strongly his breath stopped, nearly able to feel her there with him in his **_mother_**. She was surprised, she was scared, she was trying to run…

' ** _I can let this person destroy the whole resistance… I can let them destroy my mother… I could be leader, the true ruler of the galaxy… the new order, mine…_** '

His thumb slowly fell away from the trigger he was about to pull to fire on the other ship, to stop the fight it started… And then, the visual of Rey bleeding to her death on the floor of his chambers filled his mind.

Before he could think about it, his thumb was back on the trigger, firing up at the ship before him, rocking it away from the base. The ship steadied itself, the side of it smoking from the hit it took from Kylo.

Kylo's ship darted around the back of the island, the mountains providing cover to him from both the enemy ship and the base. The ship was quickly behind him, shooting at Kylo as he darted from side to side, dodging every blast and avoiding every curve of the mountain they stuck near.

 **\- X -**

In the dark of the night, all the Resistance members could see was the two ships firing at one another, not able to make out who was piloting either of the aircrafts. Screams and cries filled the air as they hurried to bring their dead and injured inside, their own fighters gearing up for the oncoming fight.

From the ground, Poe Dameron ran to the nearest ship, yelling for BB-8 to join him. Leia Organa trotted to him from the entrance of the docking bay.

"Poe! Stand down!" she yelled at him, Poe whipping around to look at her in disbelief.

"General, those are unknown fighters above our base, one of which just tried to attack us using our own ship!"

"I'm aware!" Leia was cut off as her and Poe were ushered to the side to make room for an injured member being carried on a stretcher. Leia shook her head before tears could even threaten to reach her eyes. "The other is fighting the ship off, it's not meant to hurt us!"

"No, you can't know that! Air control didn't even spot this person entering orbit here, we have no idea who this is!" Poe yelled back, grabbing his pilot's helmet from the nearby crate.

"This is an order, you are to stand down. I felt the presence of the pilot, and I am ordering you to back off." Leia said, standing tall, her voice stern and demanding. Poe froze in his tracks, cursing to himself as he remembered the last time they were in this situation. If he was supposed to show that he could have control, now was the time.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Poe put his helmet back in the compartment as BB-8 rolled up to them, whistling his shock of Poe's obedience.

Leia nodded to Poe, thankful that he didn't put up a fight on this. She knew her son, Ben Solo, was piloting the ship that was fighting back against Sano, and for whatever reason he was here, she was thankful.

She had counted that this was the second time he spared her life, and that ignited her hope more than ever.

From behind her, she heard Finn, Rose and the two newest members, Flora and Kai, run up them.

"It's Sano! I could sense him! He did this!" Flora cried. Leia nodded, grasping the girls arm. She could feel how horrified the young ones were, but she could not deny that she did feel Sano's rage the moment he snapped. What worried her more, was that she could not feel Rey any longer, nor could Leia find her.

"I knew that bastard was up to something, I kn-" Finn began, Rose quickly hushed him and gripped his hand.

Looking past the group, Leia watched in the dark shadows of the sky as Ben's ship came face to face with Sano's, firing once more at the young man, blowing the corner of the ships wing off. Sano quickly reared around, and left the area, and Leia assumed, left Excora.

Her heart skipped a beat as she watched her son's ship begin to follow, and abruptly turn around to face the Resistance base, aiming high to go over the mountain that towered over the base, as if to give off the impression that it was leaving.

Leia knew better, she even felt it. He was planning on landing, and she was determined to meet him.

Looking around her, Leia took in the scene.

There were small fires here and there from where Sano blasted other ship parts, going right for the engine to ignite the flames. Part of the base's entrance was torn off, and debris scattered across the courtyard. Dozens of resistance members were trying to help the fallen, who had rushed outside once the alarms were triggered, warning of an intruder.

' _The perfect attack… How could I let this happen_ …' the princess thought.

"Leia?" Rose asked.

The generals attention was brought back to the small group in front of her, all their faces etched with concern and worry.

Shaking it off, Leia brushed past them, heading down the stairs that led to the grounds of the base.

"Help the others, prepare all ships and gather as much resources as you can. We have to leave Excora." Leia ordered, her back to Flora, Kai, Finn, Rose, Poe, and BB-8. They all remained silent, watching their leader go.

Kylo Ren quickly landed his ship on the other side of the mountain, making sure to stay out of view of the Resistance base that stationed opposite him. He tried to give off the appearance that he had left the planet all together, and was satisfied that no one had followed him.

Grabbing a plain, black cloak, Kylo exited his ship, long and fast strides taking him swiftly through the forest that surrounded him.

In the distance ahead of him, he felt a familiar presence, anger meeting his already tense mood when he felt it was not who he wanted.

He looked up, nothing but darkness meeting his view, but he knew she was there.

He scowled, his hand balling into a fist as he resisted the urge to grab at his lightsaber.

"I am not here for you." He said, venom pouring from every word as he strode towards the figure behind a tree.

"And why are you here, Ben?" the sad and fragile voice called to him.

His teeth ached as he clenched them even harder. He had not expected to run into her, and especially did not want to be speaking to her at that.

"I do not answer to you here, or anywhere for that matter."

Once he was a few feet away, he stopped in his tracks.

He towered over her, just as he always had since he was just a small child. Her presence was as strong as ever, making a statement wherever she was, she knew how to command and control a room in an instant, he would give her that much.

"I watched you help us. Why would you do that? When you're the very one we are at war with?" Leia asked, her tone growing stern.

Kylo remained silent, and it gave Leia a moment to think, coming to a surprising discovery. The link between every event thus far, was the girl. She was the awakening, the shift, the last jedi…

"Rey?" she asked, almost disbelieving. If her son, the galaxy's enemy, made the trip to help her….to help her cause… did that mean…

At the mention of her name, both Kylo and Leia were reminded that the bigger issue lay at hand.

Rey was not okay.

Swallowing hard, his tone dark, Kylo broke the silence. "She's in trouble…" he said, almost painfully.

Leia nodded. The moon above her gave just enough light to show her Ben's face. ' _My son…_ ' she thought, her heart aching. He had grown so much, and he was here, for the girl he cared for.

"I'll get you in. I don't know where she's at , but I know she's in trouble, too." Leia began, her eyes falling to the ground around them. So much had happened in so little time, she was beginning to doubt her sanity at this moment, not believing the words that came out of her mouth. "I am taking a chance, the lives of our members….Do not hurt her, and do not hurt the members on this base. After… everything …" her thoughts formed around the face of her partner, her love, Han Solo. Kylo sensed this, and tensed, casting the dark and regretful cloud he felt well up in him to the side. "After everything, I am siding with hope… I am siding with Rey…"

With that, Leia turned and led Kylo Ren to a secret entrance at the side of the resistance base, hidden well behind branches and old ship parts.

They scurried in the dark tunnels, approaching the base itself after some time. Kylo tried to call out to Rey through the force once more, unsuccessful again, this time however he was not met with any static at all, just pure silence.

Once they were at the main underground entrance, Leia halted their steps, holding a dainty hand up to stop Kylo. She slowly opened the door, being met by a resistance fighter who asked if she was okay. She nodded quickly, walking the fighter away from the door that hid Kylo on the other side.

"I'm fine, please send out a command through the intercom to have all members and fighters meet at the hall, bandage up the injured. We have no time to spare. I want every member of the rebellion cleared from the east and west wing, do you understand?" Leia asked, ushering the fighter out of the room.

He nervously nodded, hurrying out to go tell the others of the general's command.

Kylo let himself through the door, blankly glancing around the dimly lit command center.

Turning to her son, Leia shook her head. "I don't know where to start. You have to keep your hood on and head down, just in case. I can't feel her…" her eyes fell to the ground again. "Her room is in the east wing down the large hall. Sano's bunker is in the west, only bed in the resting area." She said.

"I'll start there." He said, brushing past Leia without a second glance.

"Ben?" she called, he froze there, not turning.

"Do not call me that again." His voice was full of rage and hostility, and the fact that he was so close to the resistance, she did not want to push him any further. She watched, her heart breaking as he reached the door, swinging it open with no hesitation.

In the blink of an eye, the presence that was left of Han, the presence of her son, was gone.

He checked every single bedroom, every bunker, and every sanitation closet.

He saw nothing, he felt nothing.

Frustratingly, he kept his promise to the scavenger, not hurting anyone on the base. Kylo came across two members of the resistance who were trying to make their way to whatever hall his mother ordered them to, and mind tricked them into seeing nothing and hurrying on.

He was losing time, and patience.

He replayed their last connection over and over again and he slammed his fast against the wall he approached, angry that nothing was sticking out from the memory except for the pain he felt from Rey, and the sight of her…

He hissed, raking a hand through his hair as he closed his eyes.

Focusing on her, he tuned into the force, this time,not focusing on her light…and instead on her dark… His eyes flew open as he remembered the hum the of the crystal, and at the memory, he felt his bones vibrate, felt the power the crystal held.

Wherever that crystal was, it was _home_.

It was with **_her_**.

Alarm coursed through him, the thought of her reuniting with the dark crystal sending him in a bigger frenzy.

The hum tugged him on, pulling him down each stair, past each open door, past every room he searched until he approached one he went over last. The hum quieted, replaced with a heated, electrifying jolt as he neared it.

He stood in the room he was in moments ago, a room with bare walls and rows of bunkers. At first glance, you could not see her, her beige garb blending in with same colored blankets and sheets, and you could barely even see her small, bloody frame over the beds.

But there she lay, lifeless in the middle of two bunks, surrounded by her own blood, her wound dark beneath the stained gash.

Forgetting the crystal, Kylo swallowed hard as he bent to scoop her up, his stomach tightening and jaw clenching, for in his arms he held his life.

He held _Rey_.

 **\- X -**

Authors Note:

Yay! A longer chapter. Sorry I took a little while longer than I usually do to update, but I had a lot to say and a lot to edit. Hope you guys like it! Thank you so much for the reads and new comments! You guys and gals give me life.

I wasn't able to go see Solo last weekend, but I am going this weekend. Tickets already bought!

P.S. LISTEN TO COMEDYBANGBANG PODCAST WITH BEN SCHWARTZ AND THOMAS MIDDLEDITCH. (Spotify or Stitcher app as far as I know.)

It is THE funniest episode of any podcast I have ever listened to lmao. Seriously.

ONE MORE THING: thanks again (: leave me love?.


	22. Chapter 22

He was never one to care for anything.

The last time he cared for something?

Maybe the time he spent with his father, the times he pretended to be the pilot of the falcon…That damn ship…

He absolutely adored his father when he was younger, eager for his return from whatever adventure he was on, patiently waiting for the stories his father brought with him, and the little trinkets Chewie collected for the boy. As time went on, his father's trips were longer, and longer, the number of days becoming too large to count.

And his mother… He did admit, at one point he did care for her, too. He admired the way she ruled, the way she led a rebellion no matter what situation she faced.

However, that's all she was. A leader, never a mother, at least not to him. He saw her more than his father, that much was true, but when he did see her, she was distracted with new plans and new advantages. She knew so much of war, but in his mind, so little of him. As a boy, he pictured himself growing up to become the best pilot in the galaxy, making his father proud and satisfying his mother.

Ben Solo could have achieved that, if he was given that chance.

Instead, his resentment grew to the point of no return, too much for General Leia Organa to deal with. She could not keep an eye on him, could not spare a moment apart from her war to tend to her son, to care for him tenderly and lovingly just as he had seen others do with their own kin.

No one was willing to give him a chance, to listen, to care for him. He was only a child, and to feel this at such a young age, drew only darkness into his soul, and there it grew, it's roots far too deep to simply rip away especially when his mother sat him down to explain his parents decision to send him to his Uncle Luke's academy.

They prayed and hoped that Luke's teachings would rid him of the evil that loomed, unaware that this choice only made it sprout even more.

The only one that would take the time to speak with him, to tell him of the greatness he would one day reach, was Snoke, a ruler of darkness himself.

Snoke clung to the dark that haunted Ben, sneaking in the shadows, acting as a whisper in the wind. He witnessed the young boys every action, every conversation, every feeling, and eventually took rule of that too.

To Ben Solo, Snoke was a friend, a confidant.

To Snoke, Ben was a pawn until he was able to lure him to the dark side, taking full advantage of Ben Solo's mind as he slept when Luke Skywalker peered into the young boy's mind. Snoke cast a horrific gloom into Ben's mind, letting an outright nightmare play for Luke as Ben slept.

Seeing only the images that played in Ben's head, hearing only the screams and cries in the background, Luke acted on his immediate fear and raised his lightsaber, promising to banish this darkness that consumed his nephews mind. Gaining his composure, he knew this was not the way, and in the same moment, Ben Solo's eyes flew open at the push of Snoke in his mind, his view filling with his uncle, weapon raised above him.

The young man knew right then that every word Snoke spoke was true, he was alone and his family's fear would drive them apart, afraid that his own power was too much, and they would either try to contain him or try to kill him.

And so, Ben, the son of the great Han Solo and Princess Leia, was erased from this world, and the Prince of darkness rose as Kylo Ren, and now, the Supreme Leader of the First Order.

With a shaky sigh, Kylo Ren glanced towards the bed that Rey ley upon in the med bay of the Resistance base. He carried her weightless body to the near empty room he had passed when he first searched for her, noticing the MD-15C medical droid standing still in the corner of this room.

He placed her down on the bed, his heart beating faster as the seconds ticked by.

"She's been shot. She needs help!" he yelled at the droid as it sprung to life, rolling over to Rey as it checked her breathing and ripped the small area of clothing around her wound.

Gulping hard, he glanced down to her gash, which was much deeper than he realized. He did not need the droid to confirm that Rey was not breathing, but hearing it only made his stomach tighten more.

He knew what he had to do.

Yet, he could not bring himself to do it.

He could heal her using the dark side of the force, but by doing so, could fuel her own reaction to the dark, and even if that happened, the healing would only be temporary until her body gave out.

However…

Kylo Ren paced the room, sweat rolling down his temples as his teeth clenched.

However, there was the option of using the light side… something he did not have.

His eyes moved from the ground he paced, to the girl on the bed.

Her hair was matted to her forehead, her face still soft and gentle even with sweat beaded around her brows and cheeks, a mix of dirt and blood streaking across her chin and down to her neck.

He wondered for a moment why the pilot of the other ship did this, what his motive was.

Again, Kylo debated the option of letting the girl die, his mind playing the outcome and resulting in him taking over the resistance very easily.

Part of him refused the option, and as he stared at the scavenger he had been training and now came across the galaxy to save, that part of him won.

The medical droid rolled past Kylo, going for a stitching kit.

Quickly tugging his gloves off, Kylo threw them to the side as he cursed, shutting his eyes as he opened his mind to the force, in search of his mother just as the door opened to reveal her.

Kylo's hand went straight to the lightsaber hanging at his hip, and quickly dropped, watching as Leia shut the door behind her, her eyes wide as she spotted Rey.

Rushing to her side, Leia's hand went to hold Rey's, shocked at how cold it was. Her other hand went to Rey's forehead, brushing the hair away.

Tears in her eyes, she turned to her son.

"Do something! She's slipping away!" she pleaded.

Kylo looked from Rey to Leia, his breath uneven.

"I can't…it's either a temporary fix, or…" he trailed off, his eyes on Rey.

Behind him, the medical droid waited for orders.

"Or what?" Leia asked, stepping away from the bed and closer to Kylo, who took a step back.

"Only light can save her, completely." He said, his tone low and hard.

Leia watched as his dark eyes stared at Rey. The hope that was ignited earlier during his battle with Sano, was now blazing wildly in Leia.

"I know you can see how special she is. I can feel that you care for her. You can be here for her, you can save her." She whispered, meaning every word and hoping that he felt it.

Kylo glared at his mother now, appalled that she was asking him to save the scavengers life, and a feeling of jealousy hit him just as it did when he was a child, watching his mother give love and care to all of her resistance fighters.

Leia's gaze fell, sensing his anguish.

"I know, I failed you as a mother. I missed everything because I was so wrapped up in this war. It overtook my life, and in turn, took away yours. I can not take that back, no matter how much I want to." Leia glanced to from Kylo, to Rey. "But I know Rey has a bigger part of this story, bigger than you and I, and whatever choice she makes, whatever side she desires, will not change the fact that you care for her. Focus on that."

Kylo's eyes fell to Rey once more, brow furrowed. He was not expecting this reaction from Leia, and it confused him.

But he knew was right.

Unsure of what to do, he stood next to the bed, peering down at Rey.

He had never seen her in such a way, absolutely lifeless, silent and still. He had grown familiar with her snappy attitude, her stubborn and impatient ways. Always willing to fight for what she believed in…

His bare hand reached to her wound, his large palm barely covering the wound from the blaster. Blood stained his hand as he applied a light pressure and he shut his eyes, the last thing he saw was his mother grabbing the girls hand.

( X )

Warmth.

Grey.

Life.

The three things he had seen during his first day training with his uncle.

'With light, comes darkness. And with darkness, comes light. Find the middle. Find the balance.'

Any other time, his uncle's voice would have sent him into a killing frenzy, but now, he let the old man's low and wise voice overcome him, taking lead.

It had been too long… Too long since he felt warmth.

Too long since he let the light creep in.

And too long since he felt anything but death around him….

He could sense it though, the balance…just on the other side of an invisible door…

All he had to do was walk through it…

He had come too far though. He was in too deep.

The hard, rusted roots of the dark side clung to him, trying to drag him away from his goal, luring him back with power, greater than he had ever felt it.

'Find your purpose.'

This time, Luke's voice seemed different, older than before and Kylo could not remember him ever saying this during training…

'Find your purpose…' it echoed.

What was his purpose?

To rule…he was born to rule… and he wanted Rey with him…Rey…

A vision of Rey sitting in Snoke's throne room flew through his mind. She was dressed in a long black gown, the neckline plunging between her breasts to tease his eye of the silky, light flesh beneath it. Her brown hair curled around her face, tumbling into waves behind her shoulders.

She crossed her long legs, revealing more skin.

Kylo mindlessly tried to step towards her, every nerve tingling with temptation, but he was immobile.

Glancing down, he saw the dark roots wrapped around his wrists, anchoring him to the ground.

Looking back to Rey, he was shocked to see her eyes a soft tint of goldish yellow. He watched wordlessly as she lifted a hand to rub her chin, and he noticed her fingernails brimmed of blue and purple, a sign of overusing dark force.

Rey glared at him, reading his mind. He was not able to stop her, not even able to attempt to put up his block to keep her out. Kylo felt powerless against her, just like a pawn as he did with Snoke.

"This is what you wanted." She snarled at him.

Standing, she walked over to him, taking her time as she looked him up and down. Kylo's jaw clenched, feeling a mix of hunger and fright.

"Deny it!" she dared him, her voice shaking him.

For a moment, Kylo's eyes widened. He could not deny it.

He wanted her, not because she had refused him or refused his offer to rule beside him. He wanted her, because she challenged him, because she saw him for what he was and still had hope for him, a redeemable monster in her eyes.

However, as he stared at the beautifully overpowered woman before him, he knew this was not Rey.

Shaking his head, he replied. "No… Not like this." His weak voice said.

Stopping her in her tracks, her face fell as she peered up at him.

Inhaling sharply, Rey glanced to the floor as she regained herself, smiling when she looked up at Kylo once more.

"You're lying… You want me…I can feel your desire…" she teased, stepping closer so that they were toe to toe. She reached her hand up, brushing a lock of his hair behind his ear. Shuddering at her touch, Kylo felt a small jolt of electricity as her fingers touched his cheek.

'Remember your purpose…' a whisper echoed in the back of his mind.

For a moment, Kylo ignored it, falling for the seductive trick the dark side was playing on him.

So easy to give in…

He could nearly taste the power she held just from her touching him…

'She never wanted power though…' his mind whispered to him.

Kylo's dark and hooded gaze broke as he remembered that this was not the scavenger he was trying to save, that this was not his purpose.

At his awakening, Rey's yellow eyes lit up in rage and disbelief.

"Not like this." His voice said, this time more sternly.

As if whipped, the roots around his wrists broke off, shrinking into the black mud that now suddenly surrounded him, another trick of the dark side. He was sinking, and again unable to move as he watched Rey turn away from him, igniting his red lightsaber.

Smirking, she turned back to him, her eyes yellow and lids tinted with purple. "You'll pay!" she screamed, the voice so unfamiliar to him as the black mud pulled him in deeper, deeper, deeper…

It was nearly clouding his vision now, but through tiny specks, the last part of this vision he saw was Rey charging at him, intent to kill in her eyes.

As if it would protect him alone, Kylo shut his eyes as hard as he could.

( X )

'With darkness, comes light.' Luke whispered….

'With darkness, comes light.' Kylo's mind echoed.

"With darkness comes light."

Kylo's eyes flew open.

He was lying on a bed in unfamiliar room, the pillow beneath his head was soft and warm, and smelled of ocean water and daisies.

"Did you hear that? With darkness, comes light! How baffling." The voice said.

He knew that voice though…

Sitting up, Kylo saw he was dressed in lighter garb, a color similar to Rey's, and only a few feet away from him, she sat.

In the middle of the room, her back to him, she was reading from one of the books they had been studying from, the sacred Jedi texts.

He quickly searched for his lightsaber, cursing when he couldn't find it. Kylo watched as she stood, her back still to him as Rey reached inside the satchel that lay at her hip, pulling Kylo's weapon free.

His breathing hitched as he moved to place his back against the wall, his arm shooting out to stop her using the force, but he was shocked to find out he had no powers at all here.

Prepared to see another dark version of Rey, he braced himself for a fight, his jaw unclenching as he watched her with a timid and hard expression.

Rey slowly turned to him, her eyes on the red lightsaber Kylo Ren made. Smiling, she looked to Kylo and tossed his weapon at him, which he swiftly caught, his eyes alarmed and surprised, wondering what she was going to do next.

He noted that her cheeks were light pink, her hair pulled back into her signature three buns, and when she glanced up to him, he was relieved to see her eye color returned to the normal hazel he had admired.

Letting out a shaky breath, the tension in his shoulders shed only an inch.

Rey stared at him curiously, wincing when she took a step to him, and another. Gulping hard, her hand shot to her abdomen, glancing down to see nothing was there. In pain, Rey looked at Kylo with a horrified and confused expression.

"Wh- what's hap…happening?" she breathed, and as her legs gave out, Kylo rushed to catch her, letting her body go limp in his arms as he lowered her to the ground.

His heartbeat sped up, eyes going wide as this happened all over again.

She was dying in his arms.

'Find your balance…find your purpose…' his uncle's words whispered once more.

Swallowing hard, he met Rey's frightful eyes with his own sure gaze.

"I'll save you." He said, no room for any other option.

Rey smiled at him as tears fell from her eyes.

She reached up to cup his cheek.

"I'll save you, too." She said, all shakiness gone from her voice. Kylo's brow furrowed, and for the first time in his life, he felt pure hope bloom within him, shocking his core.

In the blink of an eye, the vision of this light Rey slowly faded away into grey.

( X )

The light came easy now, the balance was centered, the purpose met.

Grey filled the room, an easy balance of the dark and light as he transferred the light he found into the Jedi he was trying to save.

( X )

From the other side of the bed, Leia watched as her son meditated while holding onto Rey, focusing all his power into saving her. For a moment, she felt the darkest cloud loom over them, tempting Ben Solo to break this connection, to stop him from saving Rey. Leia could taste the power it offered up to him, tempting him with even more than he had.

And in the next moment, he refused it, and minutes later, Leia felt the hope that took over him, creating the very light that he was now using to save Rey.

In that instant, even for the briefest moment, she felt Ben Solo return home to her, and though it may not have been a full return, the hope was there and so was his purpose.

Warmth and light filled the room, blinding the older general who turned away from the two to save her vision, and as a soft hum flowed from the center of Kylo and Rey, the light dimmed slowly away.

Turning her gaze back to them, she watched in awe as Kylo stepped away from Rey's body, shock coursing through him.

Both Kylo and Leia's eyes were on Rey's wound, which was actively healing itself, leaving behind only small bruises and a thin scar.

The medical droid backed itself into a corner, whistling it's shock.

The air around them stilled, anticipation clinging to the walls.

With wide, surprised eyes, Leia and Kylo watched as Rey's breath shakily returned.

From the middle of her chest, specks of skyblue and ruby red floated from her, the sight looking nearly holographic. The specks intertwined, forming into a ribbon that wrapped around Rey's unconscious body, lifting her from the bed and holding her mid-air, the sound of her broken bones reforming filled the room, and the energy emitting from within her touched every living thing on the lonesome planet.

( X )

She lay in a bed of lilies, the sky light blue, the sound of crashing waves in the nearby ocean filling the air.

It was peaceful.

She lay with her eyes closed for a moment longer, not wanting to question what was going on, or where she was. Rey was absolutely content with where she lay right in that moment.

"Funny, I always thought you questioned everything. It's rather annoying if I may say."

Her eyes shot open, and she hurried to stand, reaching behind her for her staff but found she had no weapon here. Across from where she now stood, was a tall, brown haired man wearing a cape to match. He stood with his back to her, watching the ocean below them.

Looking from her left to her right, she saw she was on an island similar to Ach-To, however this one had no caretakers, and was filled with only the greenest grass and colorful flowers.

She had no belongings where she lay, just simply the clothes on her back.

Feeling safer with something to defend herself, she looked around for a rock, or stick, anything she could use as a weapon.

From behind her, Rey heard a heavy chuckle.

"Trust me, I wanted to give him a good whack one too many times myself."

Whipping around, Rey met the eyes of an older, bearded man, his white hair gleaming beneath the sun.

The older man's comment made the younger one roar with laughter.

"You truly think you'd get that far, old man?" he laughed again, turning towards Rey who spun to meet him.

Rey froze momentarily, meeting the eyes she had seen in Luke, Leia and Ben.

The man offered her a lopsided smile as he studied her. "So, you're the one everybody is raving about."

Scoffing, the older man walked from behind Rey and joined the side of the younger man. Rey watched in silence, not feeling threatened or scared any longer.

"That's enough, Anakin. Poor girl is already confused as it is." He grumbled.

In the back of her mind, Rey tried to pinpoint where she had heard that name before, but was not able to come up with any answer.

Glancing between the two, Rey shook her head, unsure of what to say.

"Um… I'm Rey. Who are you? Where am I?" she stammered.

"Ah, there it is. The questioning." The one named Anakin said, raising one eyebrow as he looped his thumb through a belt loop beneath his cape.

The old man rolled his eyes. "I'd like to see how you'd act in this situation."

"Oh, really? I would have figured my way off this island by now…"

Rey watched silently as the two men bickered with one another, though she sensed there was a thick layer of playfulness beneath it all. In any other situation, she would have smiled, maybe even laughed. But as of now, she was irritated that her peace was interrupted, and all she wanted to do was go home.

"Hello?" she called to them, louder than she intended. They both stopped their arguing abruptly and turned to her, the older one clearing his throat and stepping towards Rey.

"My apologies, I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi. This man-child here, is Anakin Skywalker."

Anakin rolled his eyes, scoffing at Obi-Wan from behind him.

Rey's brow furrowed. She had heard these names…

Back on Jakku…the small gossip she heard from visitors here and there…

Rey's eyes widened.

Skywalker.

"You're Darth Vader! Luke and Leia's father!" She yelled, her eyes on Anakin. For the first time, she truly looked at him.

He was a lot taller than she had expected, a bit bulkier, reminding her of Ben…

Ben.

Something called to her, a whisper in her mind, a brush from the force…

Something was happening with Ben? She wasn't sure.

"I have to get home. Something's happening…" she trailed off, looking into the distance as she tried to pinpoint what was calling to her.

"My dear, it's already happened." Obi-Wan said, a small, wise smile played at his lips.

"What has?" Rey asked, glancing from Anakin to Obi-Wan. They both exchanged knowing looks, unsure of who should say it, and what exactly needed to be said.

Their silent argument gave Rey a moment to think.

She studied both the men again, noticing that they still looked young in their own way. From the stories she heard, they were both gone.

'Dead…' a dark whisper said to her. She grimaced at the word, and froze as she thought of the meaning of this. "Am I… Did Sano kill me?" she asked, her eyes on the green grass around her feet.

"My grandson is working quite hard to bring you back. It's up to you if you want to go." Anakin said, looking at her peacefully.

Rey could not believe they were speaking of her own life so casually.

"What do you mean I can go back?" She asked.

"Your spirit is extremely strong, young Rey. During the little time you had with Leia, you accomplished and changed a lot for the galaxy. You have earned your place here, you could stay here with us, with Luke, and a bigger presence of Han." Obi-Wan explained.

For a second, Rey nearly agreed to it, anything to learn from her master and to be closer to the father figure she had for a short time.

However, she remembered the war the Resistance still fought, and the images of her friends floated through her mind.

"Or, you could go back, and help end the war, or whatever else you choose to do there. The choice is yours." Anakin finished, taking a step closer to Rey.

"I haven't even finished my training." Rey said in disbelief, partly to herself.

"That is true, but changes nothing. Wherever you land, the force will follow you. It's up to you to decide your fate, the options are endless." Anakin said, smiling at her.

The corner of Rey's lip twitched to return the smile, but she still had so many questions…

"You're of the light side now? It's truly possible for anyone…" she muttered, and Obi-Wan softly chuckled as Anakin's smile widened.

"It is. However, being pushed to the light side, and finding the light on your own, are two very different things." Obi warned.

Rey nodded. If she stayed here, on this little peaceful island, she would never have to struggle again, and she could gain every answer and learn every lesson she needed to. She would have no worry to deal with, every struggle forgotten.

Having been left on Jakku for nearly all her life, peace and a worry-free life was all she wanted.

And if she went back, she would be met with the opposite of this, war and death surrounding her.

' _But I could help… I could help the twins, I could help Poe and Leia, Finn, Rose… Chewie… and Ben…He's trying to save me, that's what Anakin said…he came all that way, to save me…_ ' she thought.

"Yes, he did do that, didn't he…" Anakin said proudly of his kin, reading Rey's mind with ease.

Obi-Wan hissed at him. "Leave your ego out of this. Do not try to persuade her, this is her decision to make."

Anakin nodded to his master, smiling playfully. "Yes, but she already has."

Rey's wide eyes met his, and as she came to the realization that he was right, that her choice was indeed made, the projection of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi drifted away, and so did her little peaceful island.

( X )

Her skin felt tougher.

Her bones were stronger.

Her blood flowed evenly.

Her mind was clear.

Power flowed from within her, mingling with the peace she came to terms with.

Balance overtook her.

She was reborn.


	23. Chapter 23

Her wound was closed, she was sure it. It wasn't throbbing any longer, nor was it bleeding, and for that she was thankful.

She still felt the pain of the kicks though, and beneath her wound, she was scarring.

Everything else, however…

With a start, Rey opened her eyes for the first time since being healed. The room was dark, except for the small lamp that was lit to her left. Trying to sit up, Rey winced and fell back against the bed.

"Stop straining yourself."

Jumping, Rey's head whipped towards her left looking past the lamp and seeing a dark figure sitting in the corner, ignoring the spike of pain shooting through her.

From the shadows, sitting awkwardly in a small chair, Kylo Ren leaned forward, the light illuminating the side of his face.

His soft eyes looked Rey over, feeling the pain she was ignoring. Rey still paid no mind to it as her eyes glued to him in disbelief that he was truly there.

Blinking a few times and trying to close her mouth, Rey tried to think of something to say.

"You… You're here? How di-" She stammered, being cut off by Kylo.

Kylo moved closer to her, studying her face. "It doesn't matter now. How do you feel?" His voice was low, and Rey detected a hint of concern and anger in it. Still in shock, Rey glanced away as she tried to pinpoint what hurt and what didn't.

Now that she was awake, her body felt a bit numb, and her ribs were killing her. She assumed it was from the kicks that Sano…..

Her eyes widened as she looked back to Kylo, who was already answering her unasked question.

"He got away. My mo-…. I was told he was a new member to the resistance? I was not given the details, but he escaped after causing quite the trouble to your base. Everyone is packing up to leave." He explained, watching for Rey's reaction.

Rey glanced away, feeling angry that she had not been more wise or expecting when it came to Sano. She thought about their first challenge, and how she felt his intentions on just his first day there. Cursing herself, Rey couldn't fight the oncoming wave of responsibility and guilt that washed over her for how the situation played out.

Adjusting the pillow beneath her head, she folded it in half and moved up so that she could see him better.

Still, Kylo simply watched her. He was curious as to how she felt, and if she felt anything that had happened only hours before she woke.

He, however, felt sick.

Kylo Ren had been sitting there cursing himself for coming to Excora, knowing that just choosing to do so was a move to the light. And when he channeled it to save Rey, he was overtaken by it for just a moment. He feared the light, he was enraged by it, and for the scavenger, he was fueled by it. The darkness within him quickly ran it out once Rey was brought back, but deep down, Kylo knew there was still traces of it that would never leave him.

He saved his mother twice now, his guilt for killing his father still ate at him, and now, he was the savior of the last jedi…

Shaking his head, Kylo bit the inside of his cheek as he silently reminded himself that he saved her to benefit the First Order for when she turned… The dark vision he had of Rey, would come true. He was certain of it…

"How did you do it?" Rey asked, pulling him from his thoughts. Kylo looked back to her, meeting her warm gaze.

' _I'll save you, too_.' His mind echoed to him.

Tearing his eyes away, he looked to the floor.

"You were still alive. I just found you." He lied. Kylo was not able to bring himself to admit it out loud. He had channeled the light side of the force to save her.

Rey did not believe this to be true. In fact, she felt for sure that it was not.

Letting the lie go, for fear that he would get angry, Rey glanced around the room as she wondered if everyone else was okay.

"There were…causalities." He answered, peering into her mind as he watched her intently, and for once she was not able to object, feeling all too weak.

Her eyes met his, and for a moment Kylo seemed as though he was bracing for a fight, but when he felt the sadness wash over Rey, his anxiousness melted away.

He was… He was feeling _sorrow_ for her…

With a loud growl, Kylo stood and moved his chair next to the bed, sitting more comfortably now that he was near Rey.

His sudden frustration made Rey jump, and she was not able to decide if her heart stopped because he was angry with her, or if it was because he was much closer to her now.

"Causalities are a part of war. These people, these rebellious, law breaking thieves and traitors? They will fall in this battle. They are part of your past." He told her, urgency seeping in his voice.

Rey stared into his dark eyes, surprised to find out that she did not have to probe the force to feel that he was unsteady in his own emotions. She knew coming here was a very big decision for him, and Rey wondered what it meant for him when it came to the light and dark side of Ben Solo.

"You're trying to convince me of something you're unsure of … Ben, what happened?" she softly inquired. His eyes widened, his face softened. He was caught…

Kylo blinked, his breathing growing heavier. He was not sure what he expected, but after the nights events, he knew for sure he did not want to fall to this light, to Rey. His hands began to moisten with sweat, his heart beat pounding in his chest.

Shaking his head to rid himself of whatever emotion was being brought upon him, Kylo stood and went to the medicine cabinet across the room, grabbing a medical syringe that carried a pain relieving sedative. Ontop of everything else, she was easily ignoring the pain she was in, but he could feel every inch of it.

' _ **Whatever happened, only made her stronger…**_ ' he thought, almost worryingly.

Turning back to her, Kylo slowly made his way to the bed, feeling Rey's eyes following him.

"What is that?" she asked.

"For the pain. My mo-…Leia left it. It'll put you to sleep, but your body will heal faster." He said, his own gaze staring down at the needle in his hand. Kylo glanced up to her, and she seemed unfazed. He thought about giving her the needle so she could apply it herself, but decided against it since she was still quite weak.

Clearing his throat, he walked to her other side, gently and awkwardly lifting her wrist and facing it upwards. A jolt rocked through them both at the touch, yet both chose not to mention it. Kylo noted how soft her skin was, and Rey thought of nothing else but the warmth of his large hand cradling her wrist.

Pushing the needle in, he slowly let the clear liquid empty itself into her, watching intently.

Her eyes studying Kylo, Rey could not believe that she lay in this bed now, the dark ruler of the galaxy first having saved her, and now, was _taking care_ of her.

She watched as his hair fell into his eyes as he administered the medicine. Only then, as the silence formed around them, did she begin to feel the intense pain growing in her abdomen. Wincing, she quietly thanked him as he withdrew the needle and threw it away in a nearby trashcan.

Kylo chose not to acknowledge her gratitude, still frustrated that he was beginning to feel anything other than the dark rage that grew within him for so long. He knew it was nearing his time to leave, yet part of him refused to, killing him with dread.

Sitting in the chair again, they watched one another, expecting the other say something, but completely content when the room remained silent.

After a few minutes, Rey felt her eyelids grow heavy, but she fought against the oncoming drowsiness as her head began to feel funny.

"You saved me…" she muttered.

He watched her, still. "Yes."

"Because you want me to join you…" her voice was trailing off.

"Yes…" he replied, his tone softer as he watched sleep tugging at her eyes.

"But, you care for me…" she said, pride and certainty radiating off of her.

Gulping, Kylo refused to voice the confirmation, but instead nodded slowly, almost against his will.

"But…It's more than that…" Rey said, training off for the last time before she lost the battle against sleep, her eyes closing and body relaxing.

For a few minutes, Kylo simply watched her sleep, mesmerized by the sight that she so easily slept when he was the predator, and the monster. His brow furrowed as frustration grew within him again when his mind responded to Rey.

' _ **Yes**_.' His mind thought. ' ** _It's much more than that._** '

Quietly standing, Kylo dug into the pocket of his cloak, gripping the contents. He was not sure what side of the force was speaking to him now, but he knew before he left, he had to do this.

( X )

The following morning, Rey woke up feeling groggy and in less pain than the previous night. Whatever medicine Kylo had given to her, truly worked. The soreness was still there, and if she moved too much, she could feel a deep cut within her abdomen where the blaster hit her, but in the end, Rey would have taken the pain over being dead any day.

Looking around the room, she was slightly disappointed to see that she was alone now, surprising herself at how she felt. Last night, she had experienced a lot of things, too many to try to comprehend at the moment, but what stood out was how Kylo was with her.

Sighing, Rey adjusted herself slightly, softly gasping as she rolled onto the object she had hidden in her wraps around her arm. Lifting a weak hand, she tugged them loose until Sano's dark kyber crystal lay in the middle of her hand, having taken it when she placed her hand over his during their fight.

Now in her possession, it hummed loudly and steadily, singing songs of rage and destruction to Rey.

Moving her other hand to touch it, Rey felt another sharp edge in her free hand, and turned it over to reveal Leia's necklace, the light kyber crystal shining bright as it too, hummed a melody of protection and light.

' _He…He left it for me…_ ' she thought, completely shocked. The hum of both crystals quickly tore her aware from the realization.

Rey fished the crystals out of the hold from the jewelry pieces, freeing them after some time.

Swallowing hard, Rey stared down at the two crystals, bringing her hands closer together, marveling at how each rock shook with anticipation, feeling its opposite so near. Inches apart, she watched as they clasped together like magnets, forming its edges and curves to one another.

Forcing herself to sit up, Rey could hardly blink, not wanting to take her eyes off of the magic happening in front of her.

The kyber crystals mingled with one another, hovering in the air as their own hums intertwined to create a peaceful chime. Breathlessly, Rey reached towards it, holding the crystal in her palm as it pled with her to truly make it one. She grasped it now, closing it within her fist and crushing it as hard as she could, gasping as she saw blood trickle down her arm.

As her own blood hit the stone, the chime abruptly stopped, and Rey slowly opened her hand, revealing a now opal like crystal, a crystal that represented pure balance and raw power once it met Rey's blood.

She stared at it, and felt as though it was staring back.

' _My own kyber crystal._ '


	24. Chapter 24

The next day, an eager Rey slowly made her way off the bed, grabbing a nearby robe that was left for her. Her body still ached, and she had to make sure to be careful not to move too fast, risking the chance of tearing her wound beneath the skin.

It would be a long road to recovery, she understood that fully.

Sighing, Rey sat at the edge of the bed, clutching her kyber crystal to her chest. She was not sure what to do with it quite yet, and she was all out of patience to get back to her room and fumble through the books she took from Luke.

There was a soft knock at the door, and Rey tucked the crystal away in her pocket, clasping her hands as she looked towards the door to find Leia entering.

The women smiled at one another, a hint of sadness behind it.

Leia was the only person left to visit Rey, her other friends coming to check in on her throughout the day before getting back to packing their things up to meet up with the rest of the resistance members in a deserted planet named Pyron.

Closing the door behind her, Leia joined Rey on the bed, sitting next to her as she placed a gentle hand on Rey's knee, a sign of comfort Rey took it, and placed her own hand over Leia's.

The gesture made Rey tear up, the events of the previous days hitting her harder than expected, guilt riding the wave.

"Leia, I'm so so-" Rey began, a tear trickling down her pink cheek.

Leia shook her head, hushing the girl. "Don't apologize, we knew Sano had something dark in him. I'm just glad you're okay." She said, turning her hand to hold Rey's and giving it a soft squeeze.

Rey wiped her tears away, clearing her throat. She was worried about Leia and the base possibly having seen Be-

"I'm not upset. But, I need to know, for numerous reasons… How did Ben know to come here? And know how to find you? I don't want to stress you out right now… I know you would never have bad intentions…" Leia's voice drifted off as Rey nodded.

Rey knew they needed to have this conversation. Part of Rey felt that she was betraying some secret truce with Ben, like she was showing all of her cards. But this was General Leia Organa, one person Rey trusted with her entire life, and there was no room for anything else.

With that, Rey told Leia of their bond, starting from the first time when he appeared to her on Ach-To, and how he had offered her a position to rule with him, by his side, and how she in turn refused it.

And yet, after everything, he still agreed to help her with the Jedi texts.

She made sure to explain that he did not obtain any information about the base, until Rey had told him of her location once he swore to come alone, having gained an ounce of her trust, something Rey held on to with her life.

Leia remained silent, watching Rey tell her stories about her relationship with her own son, a relationship that was not quite a friendship, but she was able to feel the pairs strong bond simply by the way Rey spoke of it. She listened to it all, the parts of their force bond, the issues with Sano, the light and dark side that raged within the young girl, the way she taught the twins what she learned from Ben, and the way her son saved her, and now how she formed her own kyber crystal.

Leia knew she was quite busy trying to lead her own rebellion, but she had no idea how much she had missed. Her heart ached as her mind flittered to memories of Ben as a child, and how she once watched him play around with Chewie one day, and the next he was off with Luke to his academy. She was frustrated with herself, riddled with guilt and sadness. And yet this young woman she sat beside, was able to bring her boy home…

Leia sighed, blinking away a few tears as she gripped Rey's hand again, smiling towards her.

"You are bringing light back to his life, young Rey. I saw it for myself when he saved you and brought you back..." She said softly.

Rey frowned, her brows furrowed as she watched Leia. "Brought me back? He said I was alive still, when he found me…" Rey trailed off, and it was now Leia's turn to look at Rey curiously. Leia told her side of things when Ben had arrived to the base, how he was able to chase Sano off, and how she escorted him to the bunkers from the hidden entrance in the forest.

And finally, she tried her best to describe how Ben not only found the light side he has banished so long ago, but how he used that same light to heal her and bring her back to life.

Rey's heart seemed to stop as she listened to Leia's words. The past two days that Rey spent in the med room healing, she came up with different scenarios and stories of how it could have gone down with Ben on the base, but she was not prepared for this, the truth.

Rey stuttered her response. "He…He used the light? Does- Does that mean…Is he…-"

"I'm not sure. I know that he has come too far to simply turn his back on the First Order. The darkness that has consumed him for so long, still has its hold over him. One thing is sure though…" Leia said, standing now.

Rey peered up at her, waiting for her to finish.

"He cares deeply for you. I know you are using your best judgement, and I trust you, with everything and anything Rey, I do. But still, be careful." Leia reached the door, and turned back to Rey before leaving. "Rey, the light side came back to Ben easily, when he was faced with losing something he wanted. The dark side can do the same…" The older woman's eyes flickered down to Rey's pocket, and Rey froze as she realized she was playing around with the kyber crystal in her pocket.

Leia gave a quick and soft smile to Rey, leaving the girl alone with her thoughts.

Rey felt a certain shield of protectiveness flow from other and over the crystal, and guessed that was exactly what Leia was talking about. Her temples throbbed, being prodded by something else that Leia mentioned.

'He cares deeply for you.' her mind echoed, making Rey's cheeks blush, and for the first time, Rey found herself not being able to deny that she felt the same.

( X )

A small chapter, but still something. (: Hope you all enjoyed, more Kylo in the next chapter.


	25. Chapter 25

Four days after speaking with Leia, Rey was aboard the Millenium Flacon, joined by Chewie, BB-8, Flora, Kai, Finn and Rose as they traveled to their new home, Pyron.

Rey guessed it was only another hour away before they landed, and as a headache reached her temples, her patience was thinning. Sighing, Rey excused herself from the cockpit, walking down the long halls of the famous ship until she reached a maintenance closet she had cleaned up to give herself some breathing room.

Shutting the door behind her, Rey glanced around the small room, satisfied that it was empty. Her back to the door, she slid down it until she sat, bringing her knees to her chest.

Her injuries were still giving her trouble, the bruising in her ribs were making it harder to breath, especially after pushing herself so hard to assist with moving the base and everyone's belongings.

Leia had mentioned not letting anyone know of what happened with Kylo, only letting the details of Sano's tirade and escape out. Rey was grateful, but guilt still pegged at her nerves, weighing her mind down to the point that Chewie had to pilot the Falcon every other hour so Rey could clear her head.

On top of it all, she hadn't seen Kylo since he left her with the kyber crystal.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Rey fought against the urge to roll her eyes.

After her conversation with Leia, Rey was coming to terms that she was caring from this man, deeper than she ever cared for anyone before.

"This is absurd…" she muttered, softly hitting her head back against the door. She crossed her arms over her knees and placed her forehead on them, hiding her face. She wanted desperately to sleep, yet her mind and body refused it, restless with the want and need to see him, to ensure that he was okay.

Her mind still struggled with the fact that he was, indeed, still loyal to the First Order, however her heart recognized that his loyalty was recoiling, and his actions showed just as much.

Rey wondered if her ruling by his side was still something he desired, and just as quickly as the question left her mind, the familiar buzz settled like dust around her, connecting her to the very man she was thinking about.

Slowly, she lifted her head from arms, peering up at Kylo as he stood only a few feet from her in the small closet.

Kylo blinked a couple times as he glanced around his room before his eyes settled on Rey, sitting on the floor. For a moment, he felt himself freeze as he looked her over, making sure she was not hurt.

Silently, they stared at one another, unsure of what they wanted to say, where to start.

Kylo swallowed, tearing his gaze away from hers as he decided he would be the first to speak.

"How's the ribs?" he asked, glancing down to her abdomen. Rey noticed his eyes linger on her a bit longer than needed, making her cheeks warm.

Clearing her throat, Rey stood up, leaning against the door to help her as she wobbled. "Better, still a little pain though." she answered, her eyes widening as she watched his face. Now that she was getting a handle on her feelings, even just a little bit, she as able to see him in a new light now, his features standing out to her in a way they never had before.

Questions beckoned her mind, but she knew she had to filter through them to find the most important one.

"When we last spoke, things were a bit…hectic, still. I remember you giving me the shot… And we talked for a little while… But things are till hazy." she trailed off as she began to slowly pace the small room.

Kylo watched her, eager for whatever point she was trying to get to. He nodded as he watched her walk back and forth.

'She's so... Intriguing.' He thought. Life before Rey was mute, with only one goal in mind every single moment of the day, to end the resistance and to rule. And now, the scavenger girl that paced in front of him shook that very priority, she took the galaxy from him and has made him question absolutely everything.

Kylo shook his head and glanced down to his boots, and back to Rey to see her standing only a foot away from him, her eyes wide and curious, yet stunningly soft and inviting.

"Just be honest. Will you?" She asked, her eyes claiming his attention.

Kylo tentatively nodded.

"You've said I'm nothing to you, out of anger. Things change. That was a lie, wasn't it?"

The question took him off guard, but he knew the answer before he had to think about it.

Again, he nodded, refusing to give any vocal confirmation as if others could hear, and in turn use that information against him.

Rey nodded in return, her gaze falling away to his chest, trying to come up with the courage to continue.

"So... What... am I to you?" Her eyes hesitantly moved up to meet his again. Kylo's breathing hitched for only a second, his face giving the regular, near blank look before his eyes moved over her face, admiring every inch of it.

His gloved hand slowly reached up to lightly touch the spot of her cheek he was looking at, feeling the warmth melt through his glove. Kylo's eyes met hers once more.

"Everything..." He muttered, so softly that Rey almost missed it.

At the unexpected and loving answer, Rey's heart beat harder inside her chest as her shoulders fell, melting away the tension. Never in her life did she ever believe for a second that she would mean anything, to anyone, and yet here she is with the Supreme Leader himself.

Rey's mind stopped itself at the thought.

'No. Not Kylo... This is Ben. My Ben...' She thought, her hand slowly reaching up to his cheek, bushing the imperfect flesh of his scar with the back of her hand. She felt him shudder at her touch, and it made a small jolt of heat run through her.

She softly pressed her cheek into his hand and he cradled her face, moving his thumb along her jaw. He watched as Rey closed her eyes for a moment.

The affection was new to both of them, a shock to their own systems, making them equal parts of curious and nearly shy.

Rey's eyes slowly opened, dark and a hint of sadness peering up at him.

"This will end badly, won't it?" She whispered.

Wordlessly, Kylo nodded once more, knowing that there would not be a universe where they both got what they wanted.

After a moment longer, Rey sighed, stepping back so that she could look at him clearly. His hand fell back to his side and he stood straight, taking his usual brooding stance.

Rey watched as Kylo took over Ben, and her eyes softened with disappointment.

"Why did you give me the kyber back? Why now?" She asked.

He stuck his chin out, a glint of amusement and pride in his eye. "Because, you were not properly protected when someone tried to take over your base. I will not be running to you every single time this happens..." He said, and through the force, Rey picked up that he was lying, making her want to smile, but she hid it very well.

Kylo continued. "Besides, before you appeared to me, when you were shot, there was a shift in the force."

Rey looked at him confused. "What do you mean a shift in the force?"

"Did you not feel it?" He asked, eyeing her carefully.

Rey thought for a long moment, her arms crossed over herself. She remembered the plan with Finn, and then waiting until nightfall to return, and how nerve-racking it was just sitting in her room, so she meditated...

Her eyes widened and she looked back at Kylo. "I did! I was meditating... and then it felt like a tremor, I almost fell over. What does it mean?" She asked eagerly.

The corner of his mouth twitched, wanting to smile at her reaction. "The shift, it was an awakening. The last time it happened, you showed up with that BB-8 unit, causing such havoc." His eyes met hers with such intensity that her knees felt weak. Silently, they both remembered the events that followed that lea them here.

"An awakening with me?" Rey asked quietly.

Kylo nodded, sighing. "You're becoming stronger, your choice has been made."

Rey eyed him, her brows furrowed as she tried to think what her choice was.

"You mean, with the light or dark side of the force?" She questioned.

He quietly stared at her for a moment, so long that Rey wondered if she would get an answer, but right then he spoke again, glancing away.

"The force is stronger than anyone or any being. It is strength and knowledge itself. It'll know the options and decisions before you do. I can only guess, " his eyes met hers again, pinning her where she stood, and the tone of his voice changed to something almost...hopeful. "But whatever choice it was must have been an important one."

Rey blinked a few times, unsure of what to think now. She wasn't sure if he meant choices between the sides of the force, or the choice it came to his character, if she should remain hopeful for him...

Rey turned her back to him, needing to break away from his heated gaze. Picking at her fingernail, she shook her head and turned back.

"When I was...gone... I had this vision... But, it wasn't a dream, or a vision actually... It felt as though I was actually there. It was my island, the island I escaped to in my mind when I was on Jakku, but it was more beautiful, more vivid. I wasn't alone there." She paused, remembering their faces. Kylo waited for her to continue. "Obi-Wan Kenobi and your grandfather, Anakin. They were there to help me-"

Abruptly, Kylo stepped closer to her, and Rey felt the atmosphere change, his energy almost angry and envious.

"Anakin? You spoke with him?" Kylo dipped his head to stare at her full on, and right then, she felt him in her mind.

Rey immediately put up her block and gave a quick shove from her mind to his, making him retreat quickly.

"Stay out of my head!" She hissed.

Kylo scoffed, turning his back to her.

Huffing, Rey did the same, the pair trying to control their own tempers.

Biting her lip, Rey closed her eyes as she inhaled deeply, and let it out slowly. Rolling her eyes, she turned back to him, wanting to move pass this and discuss her experience, in hopes that he knew something of what she had dealt with, but when she turned, he was gone, and the connection was broken.

Sighing, Rey fell back against the door and slid down as she had done before, frustrated at being torn from him once more, and that it ended the way it did.

'Yes, this will end terribly indeed...' She thought to herself, and unknowingly, she was holding her cheek just as he had only moments ago.


	26. Chapter 26

Back at his main ship, Kylo Ren paced the halls that lead to main meeting room, having been told just moments ago that Vicar Ren had been trying to get ahold of him while he was away.

Kylo of course noticed the smirk that came along with the message, setting off a chill of rage at the general, knowing his plotting was still continuing.

What it had to do with the powerful Knight of Ren, Kylo did not know.

Hissing through his teeth, Kylo opened the door to the room, taking a seat at the head of the large table that sat in the middle and simply looking in the direction of a few stormtroopers that were guarding the area. Taking the hint, they left Kylo alone, shutting the door behind them.

Clearing his throat, Kylo Ren sent out a holo ring to Vicar, and only seconds later, the hologram of Vicar Ren filled the space in front of him, the man's large stance faced expectantly towards Kylo.

"Ah, Kylo Ren! I have been trying to get ahold of you for some time now. Where have you been?" Vicar asked, his lids squinted towards Kylo as he studied him.

Kylo returned his gaze, his look however, was very irritated. The last thing he wanted was Hux and Vicar scheming together, and Kylo knew that if anyone would challenge him for the title of Supreme Leader, it would be the knight that stood in front of him now.

"None of your concern. What is it you need, Vicar?" He asked, his tone was cold and hard.

Vicar bit his cheek before he spoke. "We had word of a resistance base on Excora."

For a moment, Kylo wanted to shut the communicator off right away, but knew if he made any such movement, Vicar would pick up on it. Instead, Kylo kept his expression bored.

"Yes, what of it?" Kylo bit.

Vicar's eyes widened with amusement. "So, you knew of it?"

This time, Kylo's eyes narrowed, frustration pricking the back of his neck with tension. "Yes, nothing came of it."

Vicar stared at him for a moment, silent before he smirked. "I see. Well, with no word from you, I sent some of our troops to assist Hux with taking their base down, however we were all quite shocked to see that it was abandoned only hours before we arrived. Curious, isn't it."

Kylo lifted a brow, moving to the edge of his seat as rage set in. "Vicar, are you suggesting something?"

Vicar returned his glare, nostrils flaring. "I find it odd, you leave your own base, alone may I add, with no word of where you are going, just as the entire resistance base is fleeing the moment we hear of it. According to General Hux, Snoke did mention your soul being split to the bone from the death of Han So-"

Before Vicar could get the words out, Kylo Ren stood from his chair and walked over the hologram, hands balled into fists as he spoke with his teeth clenched.

"Let me remind you, Snoke is dead. And one thing he did before he died was ensure that the rightful man took his throne, and as I recall, out of all the Knights, he chose me. I will not be questioned, Vicar. Don't forget that."

Vicar glared at Kylo, and Kylo glared at Vicar, both men absolutely silent with Kylo's words hanging between them.

Vicar licked at his lip. "So be it, Supreme Leader. Challenge Day falls upon us soon, only months away, and the galaxy will truly be yours." he said as he reached for to end the call.

Kylo lifted a palm to him to stop. "One last thing. You will not speak with Hux," Kylo paused and moved his head slightly to catch Vicar's gaze. "Your loyalty and allegiance lies with me. _You_ answer to **me**."

Silent for a moment, Vicar's stone cold eyes did not leave Kylo as he gave a single nod to the man before he disconnected, leaving Kylo alone in the room.

Shaking, he unclenched his fist and ran his hand through his hair as he hated the thought the flew through his mind.

'Too close... I need to stay away from Rey for a while...'

( x )

"This damn rock!" Rey yelled.

She sighed as she fell to the floor in her new room on Pyron, shoving the kyber crystal and broken pieces of the lightsaber away. She had been at it for three days trying to get it to fit together, hoping that the force or some sense of magic could make it all repair itself. She made sure to remove all pieces of the crystal that previously took her kyber's spot, but it was still off, refusing to mend.

She had the jedi texts out, laying inches away from her so that she could study them to help take her mind off of the failure with her lightsaber, but at the moment, she was too frustrated to focus on them.

"If only I were on Jakku, bet I could just gather random rocks and rubble, that would work better than this awful th-" Rey quieted her muttering as the force hummed around her, this time, however, was much different as the hum was softer than ever before, and her skin warmed as if the sun was right on her.

She knew for certain it wasn't him... But, it felt familiar...

Slowly, Rey turned to look behind her, and gasped as Anakin Skywalker sat casually behind her on her cot, his back to the wall. He was watching her with such amusement that Rey nearly smiled at him.

"What are you doing here! I thought... Well, I'm not sure what I thought." Rey trailed off as she moved to face him, still sitting on the floor as the lightsaber rolled away. She glanced at it, and back to Anakin. "Is that why you're here? I was told my master would appear to me in my time of need... Are you here to help with this?" She asked, eagerly grasping that lightsaber and offering it to him, wanting nothing more than to be done with the damn sword.

Anakin grinned, but made no move to take the lightsaber she offered.

"Nope. I'm afraid that frustration is all yours, m'lady." He said and laughed as he watched Rey's eager smile fall into a grimace.

For a moment, they both eyed one another.

"Well... Why are you here? Why do you appear to me, and not Master Luke?"

Anakin sighed. "My son will return to you one day, just not on this one."

Rey's brows furrowed as she glanced to the floor, unsure of what to make of what he said.

He smiled once more and held his hand out. When Rey offered the lightsaber again, he moved his hand back and shook his head. Sighing, Rey took it back and removed her kyber, feeling that this is what he was wanting.

With two fingers, he gently grasped it, and Rey watched as he admired it.

"Remarkable." he muttered.

"How so?"

Anakin turned the kyber crystal over in his hand. "You've created kyber with the perfect mix of dark and light."

Rey looked at him curiously. "Has that not happened before?"

"Not quite... You took Leia's kyber, something old." He reached for the two pieces of his lightsaber. "And Sano's kyber, which is something new. And now..." Anakin trailed off as he took a piece of his own kyber crystal that she shaved off from the broken saber and held it out to her.

"It seems, little Rey, that you have all the pieces you need. You just need to figure out the puzzle."

His words rang in her ears, and she felt a sense of calm wash over her, taking the stress and tension right off of her shoulders. She sighed.

Rey took the kyber pieces from him and held them in her hands, eyeing him for a moment, and he did the same.

"Ben seemed upset that you appear to me." she stated, and Anakin nodded.

"Yes, I hear his pleas and requests for guidance. However, he is not asking the right questions." Anakin stood, and Rey peered up at him, confused again, however she was not able to ask her questions since he spoke again.

"Take apart the lightsaber, make it your own. It is a strong friend, you will know it." With that, Anakin stood, and began to walk away. Rey watched, surprised to see him walk straight towards her wall, disappearing into it without hesitating, and just like that she felt the connection drop.

Shaking her head, Rey turned back to the pieces of her lightsaber, setting aside the kyber crystals and began to take the rest of it apart.

She worked well into the night, keeping herself locked away from the rest of the base as they settled onto their new home.

Her mind drifted to the face of every friend she has made this far, and remembered the battle they all fought, and their purpose. Among the faces in her mind, Ben Solo's seemed to be included in that.

Rey was tired of fighting the war that is Ben Solo, and Kylo Ren. No matter how mad he made her, and she him, she was determined to always have hope in him.

With her mind elsewhere, Rey did not realize that her work was done, only snapping out of it once she heard the snap of her own kyber crystal forming around a piece that Anakin had left. She watched in awe as light rose from the lightsaber, heating the metal and bending around the kyber crystal she made with Leia, Sano, and now Anakin's kyber crystals.

'Light, dark, and balance...' she thought.

The lightsaber slowly lifted from her desk, and Rey stood, stepping back to watch in shock as the saber growled, hummed, and roared. The light grew so bright that Rey had to turn her head, shielding her eyes.

As the lightsaber quieted down, so did the light. Hesitantly, Rey opened one eye, and the other when she saw a white and vibrant purple light reflecting off the walls of her room.

Gasping, she looked at the lightsaber that was standing at full attention only a foot away from her, waiting for Rey to take it.

It was tall, and wide, and it seemed to Rey that strands of electricity where emitting from it, whipping the air around her. Her hand reached for it before she thought to even move, and the saber swiftly moved to her, fitting to every curve of her hand. The power would have been overwhelming, if it hadn't felt so familiar.

It was just as Anakin said.

As if she was greeting an old friend.

( x )

 _ **Author's Notes:**_

 _ **:D Thanks for reading! Reviews make me update faster... ;)**_


	27. Chapter 27

"How are you feeling?"

It had been three days since the events of Rey rebuilding her lightsaber, and with it, building her strength. She became one with it, letting it mold to her style, and her own skin mending with the weapon, a forgotten friend.

Rey still felt rather protective of it, not ready to let anyone see her cards, so she thought, and decided to keep it hidden beneath her green poncho as she walked beside Kai and Flora, seeking out a new training area on their new home, Pyron.

"Better. Not fully recovered, though." Rey answered, kicking a rock to the side of the path they made.

The air around them was muggy, hot with the raindrops that constantly made an appearance and clung to the atmosphere. What Rey liked, however, was the green that seemed to drown the planet, tall and old trees covering every corner of their home.

"I still can't believe Sano did that to all these people. You offer him a home, and he used it as a stepping stool." Flora stated as she rolled her eyes.

Rey nodded, mostly to herself as she thought of the events that led them there, and what Sano was trying to achieve by staying at their base. Frowning, Rey figured there was a lot more to the story than what met the eye. Remembering the map to Cinnon'Ra that she had stolen from him, she feared what awaited him there, and was more determined than ever to stop him before he succeeded in whatever he was plotting.

And in order to do that, Rey knew she had to build her own team, people she could depend on to go with her, which is why she made the decision to continue training Flora and Kai today.

The three girls remained quiet as they continued their walk, stopping a short while after that when they came across a clearing deep in the forest, hidden away from their new base.

'This is it.' Rey thought, smiling to herself.

Stepping on a large rock, Rey bent and picked it up, tossing it into the air and catching it once more before turning a hopeful smile to the girls.

"Ready?" she asked.

Flora and Kai shared a quick glance before looking towards Rey, all three of them grinning at one another as they began their new lesson.

( x )

She taught them patience.

They taught her movement.

She taught them strength.

They taught her stealth.

Together they practiced, and trained from morning to night, and night to morning.

They chose not use their voice, but their minds instead.

They tried their hand at mind tricking one another.

And eventually, Rey attempted Projection, succeeding for only a quick moment before falling to the ground, all of her energy drained, just as Kylo said it would.

In the following four weeks, Rey trained hard with Flora and Kai, extremely delighted with how well they were growing with the force, and astonished with what she was able to do herself. She had hoped she was making Luke proud.

Spinning on her toes, Rey turned and broke out into a run before jumping into the air, legs split, before landing firmly on both feet ontop of a broken tree stump in the forest they practiced in. Right now, Rey was practicing her movement with Flora and Kai, who taught her to bend her limbs and stretch her muscles in ways she never had before. It was similar to dancing, Rey thought, which made it even more fun for her.

Rey grinned, happy that she was not swaying at all as she bent to balance herself on one hand. She was not able to stop her mind from remembering the last time she was in this position, and how Ben Solo appeared to her through their connection.

Biting the inside of her lip, Rey scowled. It had been four weeks since she last saw him, and any time she attempted to open her mind to him, she felt the harsh block of his mind pushing her out, frustrating her more and more every day that passed.

Now, however, she was determined to cast thoughts of him aside and only focus on her training with the girls.

Rey stood and walked past Flora and Kai who were quietly meditating.

"So, what's with the weird letters? Or...numbers?" Kai called from the ground, eyes still closed. She was speaking of the jedi texts that they often studied, Rey teaching them only what she knew for certain, the rest was just sitting there until her lessons with Kylo Ren picked up again.

Rey stopped walking, turning back to glance at the ancient books that lay a few foot away from them. Rey grew more frustrated with not knowing as time went on, only able to look and admire the foreign symbols on the pages that were elegantly drawn.

Rey sighed, kicking a random stick to the side. "I'm not sure. I hope to find out one day."

Flora opened her eyes and leaned back, laying on the dusty ground as she stared up at the red sky above.

"Your teacher hasn't appeared to you?" Flora asked.

Rey frowned, forgetting that she had mentioned to them that she was still learning herself, but only when the force chose to connect with her bonded, and Rey refused to give any other information concerning it.

"No. Not yet, at least."

"And what exactly are we training so hard for?" Kai asked, her meditation broken now.

Rey thought for a moment, hands on her hips as she studied the dirt around them. "Just... just in case. I have a lead on a possible route where Sano may have gone, but I don't want to go unprepared. Since you are both force sensitive, and combat trained, it seems we are a good match for a team..." Rey trailed off, feeling nervous that they may object.

To her relief, she felt them both get...excited?

"Great! It's been a while since we've been in action. We're doing pretty well, if I do say so myself." Kai exclaimed, grinning towards Rey and turning to the stick Rey kicked away moments ago. She focused on the wood, and tuned into the force, the stick twitching before it moved to Kai's hand slowly.

Flora smiled at her twin, not moving as she used her mind to break the stick in half.

Kai gasped, making Rey smile. Kai threw one half at her sister and chucked the other end into the woods.

"So, when are we going?" Flora asked, sitting up as her attention was on Rey on now.

Rey thought for a moment, undecided. There were still lessons to learn, things to practice on, and details to map out. But she was relieved that they were willing to help, and eager to fight.

"Soon." was all that Rey replied with, and both girls nodded, not questioning the plan for the remainder of the evening. The girls excused themselves, packing up their belongings and heading back to the base, leaving Rey alone.

Her mind was heavy, and shoulders tense.

This was always her time.

Left alone, out of view from the base, no one to bother as she practiced.

Standing straight, Rey moved her hand to her cloak, undoing the pin that lay at her neck and letting the garment fall to the ground.

Rey gripped the lightsaber that hung at her hip, her hand melting and forming to the body, coming to life with it as her body, mind, and soul greeted it.

Slowly exhaling, she shut her eyes, reaching out with her mind as she became one with her surroundings.

She unclasped the saber from her hip, activating her lightsaber as her eyes flew open, swinging it above her head, grasping it with both hands.

Rey familiarized herself with it as she had for the past month since forming the lightsaber, taking control of it and letting it take control of her. She whipped around, pretending to block an oncoming attack, then letting only one hand take over as she practiced running with it.

She wasn't sure what took over her, or where she even got the idea to, but she let her feet quickly carry her to a nearby boulder, jumping onto it and right off, easily front flipping onto her feet again, shocked once more as she did not sway whatsoever.

She turned the lightsaber over on top of her hand, letting it roll into her palm once more, hearing nothing but the sharp hum pierce her ears as she swung her saber here and there, trying not to get distracted as she noticed the tiny strands of electricity whip from it, never close to her though, as if it new who it's owner is.

Right then, a small and fallen tree branch snapped behind her, and Rey turned quickly, the lightsaber coming to full attention as she whipped it around and stuck it into the face of the intruder.

The white and purple light of her weapon reflected off the face of Kylo Ren.

 **( x** **x** **)**

 **Author's Notes:**

 **I just want to give the absolute biggest thanks to every single person who reads this story and comments on it, it truly gives me life and the widest smile. Thank you for your constant motivation! Stay tuned, I will be posting another chapter or two this weekend!**


	28. Chapter 28

Rey's eyes widened, looking directly into Kylo's intense stare, studying her face. He seemed surprised that her lightsaber was repaired and born to her, and eve more shocked that it was now so close to his face.

Without hesitation, he reached for his own, igniting his blood red lightsaber as he stepped back and clashed it against Rey's. For a moment, Rey's hold on her weapon faltered, surprised that he had drawn his sword against hers, but in the next second she was ready, understanding that this was not a threat, but a moment to test out her strength.

Rey stepped forward, pushing the lightsaber with such force that Kylo feared the grip on his would break the lightsaber all together. Shoving her off, he patiently watched as Rey stumbled back, noticing that her movement was more quick and on point, balancing herself on the balls of her feet.

Rey whipped the lightsaber around her body, making an 'X' in the air as if to scare him off, widening the space between them. There gaze lay upon one another, wordless as they circled the other, predator amongst prey, battling for ownership of the space they walked upon.

Swiftly, Kylo turned the lightsaber over in his hand, letting it roll over his knuckles and back into his palm.

Rey answered with a low growl, and before she charged at him with her lightsaber raised, she could have sworn she saw a smirk lay upon his lips, frustrating her even more. Kylo stepped to the side, dodging her oncoming attack, blocking each hit she threw at him, unable to hide the shock that crossed his face as he felt her frustration building through each attack she dealt, whipping her lightsaber from every direction, and though it never hit him directly, she always hit her mark.

Standing only inches away now, lightsabers locked, Kylo kicked Rey's foot out from beneath her, tripping her backwards as her own lightsaber went flying through the air, falling a few feet away from them. Kylo closed in, each boot creating a loud 'thud' with every step he took towards Rey, who scowled up at him as she backed away on her feet and elbows.

Kylo's weapon hung low, the red light radiating off of his leg. His narrowed eyes watched her, almost hungry for the defeat she was nearing, and the look alone gave Rey just enough motivation to channel the movement that Flora and Kai taught her.

Rey shoved her hands back, pushing herself off the ground with her feet and easily backflipped off the dirt, using the force to call her lightsaber back to her hand. Kylo dived to strike her, and Rey twirled, leaning back just half an inch as his lightsaber darted towards her stomach, missing by just a strand of hair.

Rey ignited her sword, coming under his and pushing him back, and now it was Kylo who stumbled away. Rey watched as he hissed through his sharp teeth, glaring at her.

"Learned a few tricks, scavenger?" he taunted, and Rey detected a hint of amusement in his voice, making her smile.

"A few, yes." They began to circle one another once more, their lightsabers buzzing. "Where have you been? I thought you were done playing this game." Rey asked, returning his glare. "How are we able to fight with lightsabers through our bond anyway?"

Kylo bit the inside of his cheek, and deactivated his lightsaber, clasping it back at his hip before returning a soft but annoyed look to her. Rey sighed, and put away her lightsaber, a breath of relief escaping from her lungs.

"There were... complications." Kylo muttered and held back rolling his eyes. "And I can only guess that lightsabers are just as strong as the bond itself. It's made up of so many elements..." he shrugged.

Rey stood with a hand on her hip, eyeing him. "Hmmm... Well, complications? What was so complicated that you left for nearly a month? If you have forgotten, let me remind you of the lessons you promised to teach me-"

"I never promised you anything. And I had training of my own to do. The challenge day is nearing in only a couple of weeks and I had to prepare-" Kylo was quickly cut off.

"Prepare? I thought no one would challenge you, what's there to prepare for?" Rey asked, the frustration replaced by sincere curiosity and worry.

Kylo's chin raised. "None of your concern-" Again, Rey cut him off.

"A Knight of Ren?" Rey asked, her eyes widening as her hand dropped from her hip. "Why is that so complicated?"

Kylo sighed as he paced in front of Rey, his hands behind his back now. In truth, he was training for the challenge day, but he also needed to gather his own thoughts, and found he was unable to do so when he was around Rey. His purpose was still to serve the First Order, he knew that much. But at what cost, he was not sure. And so, he took a month away to think, to train, and to focus on the dark with no temptation from the light that is Rey, but it was all for nothing when he became too exhausted from trying to block out the force bond.

Stopping his pacing, Kylo stepped towards Rey, his dark eyes meeting hers. The nights when he was able to catch little sleep, the nightmares always came, but at the end of it all, as if to wash it all away, were the pair of soft brown eyes belonging to a girl with same brown colored hair.

Shaking his head, Kylo glanced away, and back to Rey, inhaling before he spoke. "Yes. A knight of Ren. He is very powerful, double my age and size. Though it's not the fight I worry about. If I beat him, no doubt I will have to defeat the rest of the Knights. They have answered to him for a very long time, and I believe that even in death, they would remain loyal."

Rey thought for a moment, watching him. She knew there was more to it. "But, you can beat them, all of them, can't you?"

"Easily." Kylo said, so assured by this answer that Rey did not doubt him. But still, there was something else...

For a moment, the pit of Rey's stomach leapt with joy, a new hope that overtook every nerve of her being.

"Are you...The light...it's calling you still? Have you chosen-"

Kylo's scoff interrupted her. He had hoped that she would not guess that, but deep down he knew it would be unlike her if she didn't.

Kylo shook his head again, frustration boiling over. He took another step towards her, toe to toe now, grasping her by her shoulders and bending his neck to look into her eyes.

"Rey, no matter what side I am on, or you're on, there will always be someone who wants the power, who wants to rule, who wants the war. I can rule the galaxy for the rest of my years, and I can bring a better order, I'll be able to..." his voice trailed off as the thought flew through his mind.

Rey stared at him, confused. She was not prepared for the sting in her heart as he denied her once again, and her hope faltered.

They stood there for a minute, no other words spoken between them, Rey staring at his tormented face.

Timidly, Rey pushed into his mind, finding that either his block was not built so strongly as usual, or she was just getting stronger, but that was quickly forgotten as she saw what was tearing him apart, and right then, she understood.

"You... You think by being Supreme Leader, you'll be able to protect me..."

Her face flushed as tears filled her eyes. Rey stepped back, away from his grasp, and watched as his head hung low and his arms fell back to his sides.

She saw he had no intention of answering the calls that the light made to him, that the pull to him was stronger than ever, yet he still refused it, willing to give up a new life just so that he would be able to use his power to ensure her protection on the opposite side of the war, to protect her of any new ruler or new Supreme Leader.

Rey gulped, blinking away the tears that threatened to escape.

"Why?" she asked, her voice shaky.

Kylo looked up at her, pinning her with such an intense, soft look that took her breath.

"You know why." he said, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Rey exhaled, falling to the dusty ground and giving into the exhaustion that beckoned her.

Alone now, Rey let the tears fall as she thought of his last words to her. Rey was still so new to everything, and care or love, whatever it was, was still so raw for her, yet she knew that it had to be one of those things. He was willing to give up the light, for her, to protect her.

She only hoped it was that alone.

Punching the ground, she stood, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand as she headed back to the base and knew what she had to do.

'Ben Solo will not be lost to this.' she thought. 'Ben Solo is our last hope.'


	29. Chapter 29

The following night, Rey walked around the large balcony surrounding the base, admiring each stone that was cemented into the rail along the way. She stopped to gaze down towards the trees below, watching as they waved in the wind, in tune with the oncoming storm that was approaching in the distance.

Sighing, Rey rolled her neck as she felt the tension creeping within her bones, having thought too much about her next move when it came to Kylo and the challenge day.

She couldn't help but appreciate his reasoning, finding the fact that he denied any thought towards the light just to keep her safe. Yet, this still forced unanswered questions to poke her mind.

If he were to remain supreme leader, what would that mean for the rest of the base? Would he ensure Rey's safety and still attack the Resistance? Rey was sure that the rebellion would not back down, and she had no idea if-

"Hey, stranger." A voice called from behind her. Rey was too deep in thought to realize that Poe Dameron now joined her on the balcony, his back leaning against the railing so that he could face her.

Rey offered a small smile, knowing that it was only a matter of time until she spoke with Poe alone. Since her injury with Sano, and having to move bases so suddenly, she found little time away from training to really settle down and speak with any of her friends besides Flora and Kai, for which she felt guilty.

"Poe! I'm sorry, I've just been trai-" Rey began, but was cut off when Poe smiled and spoke instead.

"It's okay. Anything I can do to help?" he asked, and the grin on his face made Rey unwillingly blush.

"Not really, thank you though..." she mumbled as she turned away to look at the clouds.

Poe nodded, visibly disappointed, but was determined to get closer either way. He turned around and towards the sky, following her gaze to the dark, grey clouds that loomed over them.

"You're not used to this, are you?" he asked, glancing to her. He chuckled when Rey looked at him curiously. "I mean the colors, the sky, the rain. Being from Jakku and all..."

"Ah, yes. It is different. The sky was always so dry, so empty. Any life, any plant... well, it was useless." Rey sighed as she remembered her home, the life she had before she joined forces with the resistance, and every trial she has faced since then.

Rey was quickly taken away from her memory when she felt Poe's warm hand reach towards her own that rested upon the railing, carefully covering her own.

She looked at it for a moment, feeling shy and rather awkward at the sudden affection, yet not surprised. However, she still did not like it.

Offering a quick smile to her friend, she withdrew her hand from Poe's and clasped it with her others, as if shielding her own hands from his.

Poe nodded and looked away from Rey, smiling to the ground, and Rey noted there was no humor behind the smile, but embarrassment flowed from him.

"Poe, I'm sorry, I just-"

"No, it's okay. I shouldn't have. You have someone, don't you?" Poe asked, his gaze meeting Rey's, and the look in his eyes made her heart stop. Poe was a dear friend of hers, someone she could fight beside, someone she trusted. She truly did not like the idea of hurting him in any way.

There was no denying that she felt some sort of affection towards him, but deep down, she knew it was not in the way he needed, or wanted.

Yet, the question he asked still threw her off.

Did she have someone? She wasn't sure.

Her thoughts flew to Ben, and the tension rolled back in waves, hitting her so intensely that she was unsure what to focus on first. Rey knew she cared for Ben, more than she should have, and in ways that were new to her. However, it was still complicated. He was both her ally, and her enemy.

And a question still pegged at the back of her mind,

If any harm came to the base, if Kylo Ren were to ever threaten the resistance, ever killed any one of her friends... If they stood toe to toe at war, would she be able to kill him?

She was not sure...

Again, Rey was ripped from her thoughts when Poe cleared his throat, making Rey jump back into the moment. She sighed, looking at her friend with a sorrowful look.

"I'm not sure how to answer that. There's a lot going on, and I care for you Poe, I truly do, and I appreciate our friendship very much, but I'm not able to offer anything more than that. Just friendship."

Poe sighed, feeling defeat creeping up on him, but did not let Rey see an inch of it. Instead, he smiled at her, nodding as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, genuinely surprised that she let him.

"No problem, Rey. I'm always here if you need me. Well, mostly. Leia has me watching over the cells for now. I think she just wants to keep me grounded, out of trouble." he shrugged as he guided Rey to look. towards the sky again, and they both stood there watching the sky.

"The cells? I thought we didn't have any prisoners when we landed on Pyron?" Rey questioned, her brows furrowed.

"Just one. Melo."

Rey was quickly reminded of the large man that Poe helped capture, the arms dealer and previous boss of Flora, Kai and Sano. With a quick mental note, Rey decided to pay a visit to the cells later on, thinking maybe she would be able to bribe some information fro-

A sudden vibration through the force surrounded Rey, and she felt a warm , tingling sensation crawl up her spine as she slowly turned her head towards Poe, who's arm was still wrapped around her shoulders, and saw out of the corner of her eye that Kylo Ren stood behind the pair, carefully studying the two in their embrace.

Rey gasped, whipping her head forward again, making Poe look down towards her with a question on his face. Rey quickly stepped away from him, knowing that if Kylo could see him from their physical contact, Poe would also be able to see Kylo.

"Rey? What's wron-" Poe began.

"Poe, can you give me a moment?" Rey asked, turning on her heel so that her back was against the stone railing, and Poe's back was to Kylo.

"Did I-"

"Please." Rey said sternly. Poe nodded, confused and feeling rather awkward, but still did as she asked and slowly left her alone.

Rey sighed as she watched Poe leave, turning her attention to Kylo, who was watching her with a stone cold expression, eyes blank and mouth formed into a thin line.

"It's not what you are thinking. Or assuming." Rey said, taking a step towards him. Kylo cocked an eyebrow at her, and Rey tried her hardest not to roll her eyes.

Instead, she turned her back to him, watching as the trees rustled harder with the wind.

"And what is it that you believe I'm thinking or assuming?" he asked, his voice low. Rey turned towards him, and studied his face. His eyes grew softer, but she noticed that dark circles surrounded his eyes, and his usual straight and tall form was slumping just a little bit.

"You're not sleeping again." she stated, casting his question to the side. Kylo glanced down to her shoes and back to her face, frustration crossing his own at being read.

"What of it? I'm training, I'm leading, I was fighting off the bond, however that gets me nowhere."

They let silence fall between them both as they studied one another, each trying to out-read the other.

"I can help. It worked that one time..." Rey suggested, referring back to the time she was able to cast her light over his darkness as he slept, ridding the nightmares away.

Before she could finish, Kylo was already shaking his head. "No. Too much of a risk." he said as he stepped towards her, standing at her side now.

"So, you get to do what you want, and make whatever decisions you'd like, but I can't even bring up a suggestion?" she asked sarcastically.

"Well, you get to do what you want as well, apparently with the lying pilot." Kylo said, venom seeping from his voice as he brought up Poe.

"Actually, I told him I only wanted to be friends, and I meant that. I belong to nobody." Rey's chin lifted into the air as if to jab him with is along with her words. She did not like being questioned, or accused, just as he didn't and she was determined to make it a fair playing ground.

Kylo smirked, the devilish and crooked smile that played at his lips was half of her words simply being humorous to him, and half at the challenge that was no presented to him.

"We'll see." he said, the exact same way he spoke to her when he interrogated her on his ship the first time they met.

The husky tone of his voice made Rey's cheeks burn and heart skip a beat, recalling the memory he meant to bring up. Her eyes narrowed at him as she involuntarily reached for her lightsaber as Kylo intently watched the movement, heat flaring in his abdomen as he waited for her next move.

When Rey realized what she was reaching for, she froze, her eyes widening as she quickly straightened herself, annoyed at herself for letting him get to her.

Kylo scoffed at her, teasing her some more, only making Rey shrug it off.

"It won't work. You're moody and exhausted. From what I hear, sleep deprivation is just any easier way for the dark to slip in." Rey stated, glaring at him with her arms crossed now.

"And who told you this? Anakin?" Kylo teased, although a hint of seriousness lay under his tone.

"No, actually. However, he did mention that he hears your pleas, but you ask the wrong questions." Rey brought up, pointing a finger towards his chest. The comment made Kylo go silent for a minute, and Rey knew she won this round at that.

"Liar." is all he came back with. Rey shook her head before she replied.

"No. It's the truth. I can only assume that he doesn't speak with you or answer your plea because you associate yourself with the dark."

"He was Darth Vader-"

"Yes, was. He came back to the light in his death. Therefore, he is of the light side now." Rey stated. Kylo glared at her, refusing to reply. Rey sighed as she glanced towards the ground, so many questions begging to be answered as the light and dark side of the force was brought up. She had no idea where to begin. "What will you do though? What will we do?" she asked with a sad and curious tone. She felt lost, and she knew neither one of them could provide answers about the oncoming war.

Kylo followed her gaze to the ground, an odd feeling washing over him that made him want to comfort her somehow, but there was no way. The choice was made, he was going to do what was necessary to keep her safe, all else would have to figure itself out, at least for now.

He sighed. "I need to deal with the challenge term. After that, we can discuss any concerns, although I'm not sure if I will have any answers." he said quietly.

Rey nodded, appreciating that he was at least acknowledging that there were topics and issues to be discussed, and she knew that he had to first win the title of official Supreme Leader before they could move on.

"How is the training going anyway?" Rey asked.

"Fine." Kylo replied, unable to hide his exhaustion now. His head hung low, his messy, dark hair covered half of his face as he threatened the sleepiness away.

Slowly and tentatively, Rey reached her hand up and brushed a lock of his hair away from his cheek, unsure of her own movement and if he would push her away. Thankfully, he didn't, and only froze as her soft hand made contact with his skin.

Kylo swallowed hard, not at all used to any contact from anyone, however this was different, and when their skin connected, he felt the bond ignite even more just as it had when they touched hands the first time. He was thrashed into a world of lightness and warmth, surrounded by the good that is Rey.

Only in these moments, alone with her, would he allow himself a second to escape to the universe she offered, and to Rey, she allowed this moment to escape to the galaxy he introduced to her.

Taken away by exhaustion and the affection, Kylo mindlessly let his head fall slowly to hers, resting his forehead on Rey's.

"The only answer I can give is that I will not let anything happen to you." he muttered.

The words enveloped Rey, surrounding her in a cushion of protection and care, something she was unfamiliar with entirely.

For a moment, she wished it all to go away, the war and the challenge day he faced, the choices they would be forced to make, the impossibilities and probabilities.

Rey knew what problems Kylo faced. If he were to defeat the challenger, he would then have to face the rest of the knights. And if he didn't defeat the challenger, he would lose his position as Supreme Leader, and lose any advantage he could give as far as protecting her goes.

She willed a way for a perfect ending to show itself, as if there was a way for Kylo Ren to secure his throne without any fight back from the rest of his old clan, without another war breakin-

A sudden idea flew through her mind, an idea that she was not sure she could take on.

An idea that would surely get her in trouble, and no doubt would be dangerous...

But, the man that stood before her was willing to risk it all, for her, willing to give up any chance on returning to the light just to ensure her own safety...

Without a further thought, Rey knew she had no other choice, and when the opportunity called for it, she would make her move.

Before she could give any more thought, Rey told herself to enjoy the moment she was having now, and gently placed a hand against Kylo's chest, feeling the hard beat of his heart. Eyes closed, Kylo let the bridge of his nose glide against Rey's jawline, down to the lobe of her ear and to the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent and basking in her warmth.

The feeling of Kylo's hair on her neck tickled Rey, but she was determined not to move in fear of ruining the moment. She had never been so close with another person, hated the idea of someone grabbing her hand like Finn did, or holding it like Poe. But with Kylo, it was different, it was pure. The feeling was new with him as well, and that fact gave her comfort. They took care with one another, and that made Rey comfortable.

Rey lifted her free hand to his cheek, brushing it with the back of her hand before turning it over and letting it rest against his face, her thumb running over the jagged edges of the scar she branded him with.

Slowly, Kylo leaned back away from Rey, his hodded gaze meeting Rey's heated one.

"Rey." he muttered.

"Ben." she returned.

In that moment, she was sure he would have moved into kiss her, the same way she had witnessed people do on Jakku, or at Finn and Rose's wedding, and the thought of how she should receive it made her eyes close as his head timidly bent towards hers.

A second later, with Kylo out of her sight, the force bond severed and Rey was left alone on the balcony of the base, drops of rain splattering on the ground.

Rey's sighed, her breathing quick and hard. A sudden splash of rain against her nose helped wake her up as she came to her senses, surprised with the disappointment that followed Kylo's departure and lack of further affection. The memory of his skin on hers made her blush hot pink, and the warmth along her neck stayed with her the remainder of the night.

Now that she was alone, she was able to continue her plan, but before she could set things in motion, she needed to speak with Melo, so she left the balcony to go to the prison cells, unknowingly leaving an intruder alone who witnessed Rey and Kylo Ren's moment together.

( x )

Author's Notes:

Hope you guys liked this one! It's more of a filler chapter, but it is needed. Thank you for reading! Comments are loved and worshiped :D


	30. Chapter 30

The room was muggy, no cool air drifting in, and with only one person being held in the single cell, it was dreadfully quiet, raindrops echoing as they hit the roof.

As Rey slowly made her way down the stairs, she looked around the large room, separated by bars, each cell empty and dirty. Walking towards the last cell, she found Melo sitting on a stool in the empty cell, staring off into the distance. With a quick nod to the guard behind her, he left her alone with Melo.

He sat there, refusing to look at her, but knew that it was only a matter of time that he would be meeting her face to face. In a cell that echoed every sound within a mile radius, he heard the whispers and praise of the young jedi girl that was rebirthed, the one that fought off Sano's attack.

Melo shook his head and readjusted himself on the small, rotting stool he sat on, smirking at her.

"I knew you'd be here one day." His groggy voice called out.

Rey slowly made her way towards him, eyeing him to ensure he had no weapon. She knew it was silly, he was locked away behind these bars after all... However, nowadays Rey felt she couldn't be too safe.

At the front of the cell now, she watched him wordlessly, and after a minute, the silence forced him to turn towards her, locking his dark, cold eyes with hers.

"Well? I can only assume you're here for a reason, girl." He beckoned.

Rey's brow raised as she nodded.

"Ha. I'll never give any information for free. There's always a price." Melo said. Rey stared at him for a moment, debating if she could mind trick him into speaking with her, which she was sure she could do. Just to prove the point that he had no other choice, she moved the side of her cloak back around her hip, exposing the lightsaber that hung at her hip.

Melo's gaze drifted down, resting on the saber. His hooded gaze showed that he was stubborn, yet understood the threat, thought he still narrowed his eyes.

Rey gave a quick nod, and reached to her pocket, taking out a long, golden leaf cigar that she stole from one of the merchants that traveled to Pyron with them. She watched as Melo's eyes lit up, accepting the bribe.

She watched as he stood, listening to the bones in his legs crack and pop when he moved, making him grumble and stretch. He made his way to the door of the cell where she stood, and they both took each other in, him wondering how such a small thing became the center of the whispers of power and strength, and her thinking about how a large, tall man came into the grasp of the resistance.

Sighing, she handed the cigar and single match over to him, her hand sliding easily through the bars. He quickly took them both, and Rey realized that he was actually scared of her, and for some reason she was not able to pinpoint, it satisfied her.

She watched as he struck the match against the stubble on his cheek, and lit the cigar, taking a long drag from it. The musky stench filled her nostrils, making Rey clear her throat.

Turning back to him, she saw he was back on his stool, facing her now and studying her.

When he met her eyes, he shrugged. "Well. Go on."

"Cinnon'Ra. What do you know of it?"

The name of the dark city made him freeze for a moment, until he realized again that she was now studying him.

"That... is not a place you want to find yourself." He said, exhaling a heavy cloud of smoke.

"Why is that?" She asked. She knew it was not a safe place, with it being the home of thieves, killers, and tricksters, but any other persons perspective was crucial at this point, with the challenge day nearing so fast.

"You already know that, jedi." Melo called out, as if he read her exact thought.

It hit her then, that they were on even playing field. He was not going to waste his time with the questions she knew the answers to, regardless of his perspective or not.

Stepping closer, Rey narrowed her eyes at him.

"What does Sano want in Cinnon'Ra?"

Saying his name filled the air with disgust from both Rey and Melo.

"Depends."

"On?" She bit.

"If he wants power, he'll be pursuing the Challenge trial for Supreme Leadership. If he wants gratification, he'll seek out his father. If he wants revenge, he'll be stocking up." Melo explained.

The words made Rey think, exploring every possibility. It scared her to think that the outcome would not be in her favor, and at the end of the day, if Sano was out for power, gratification and revenge, he could get all three in the city she was going to.

"Who is his father?" She asked.

Melo sighed, admiring the lit cigar that rested between his fingers.

"A man who has no fear. A man that fights for nothing. That is the type of person you avoid." he said, winking at Rey. Though his expression was playful, she saw fear in his own eyes.

"Well, Sano will be dealt with." Rey muttered, pride striking her into a tall stance. The stretch in her muscles reminded her of her training with Flora and Kai, two of allies Rey would not have met if it weren't for Melo. "So will you." Rey added.

The threat made Melo bit the inside of his cheek, knowing that the topic would be brought up sooner or later.

"You kidnapped Flora and Kai when they were so young. Why?" Rey asked, heat striking her cheeks as her anger boiled. She couldn't help but feel as though she were talking to Unkar Plutt, the junkboss on Jakku that ruled her life since she could remember.

Melo's eyes fell as he pursed his large, chapped lips. "They were a great tool in the business." He shrugged.

The way he casually referred to her friends made Rey's hand drift towards her lightsaber, almost eager to end this herself. However, that felt like an easy way out for him, and that was something she did not like. So, she made the decision to let him stay there, rotting his days away in the cell, and vowed to show the twins a better life after their mission was done.

Nodding her head, Rey turned on her heel to leave, climbing nearly to the top of the stairs when Melo called out from behind her.

"Jedi," he called, and Rey turned her head to the side, refusing to look at him. "If Sano is in Cinnon'Ra, Vi isn't far away." Melo said. Rey assumed Vi was Sano's father, yet she didn't care for the information. "And remember! There's always a price to pay..." his voice trailed off as she left.

Rey's mind was set.

She would go to Cinnon'Ra, and Sano chose to get in her way, she would deal with him or anyone else that stood before her.

( X )

The following morning, Rey met Flora and Kai at their usual training spot within the forest, clouds of fog and dew filling the area. By this time of the morning, the twins were usually talking each others ears off, or stretching in preparation for the days training.

This day, however, Kai stood against a large boulder off to the side of their training area, and Flora was nowhere to be seen. Confused, Rey went up to Kai as she looked around for the other twin.

"Morning. Where's Flora?" Rey asked. She froze when she realized Kai was glaring at her, no hint of a smile or playfulness. Immediately, Rey was on high alert, but it was too late as she felt the sharp, cold edge of a blade pressed to her neck from someone behind her.

"Right here." Flora hissed into her ear. Rey's eyes widened as the knife dug into her skin, nearly breaking it. Kai, who stood in front of Rey, moved closer to her as she studied Rey.

"What... What's wrong? Why-" Rey began.

"No. You don't get to ask the questions. Not this time." Kai said, venom dripping from every word as her glare sharpened.

Flora removed the blade from Rey's neck and shoved her away, making Rey fall to her knees on the ground, gripping the part of her neck that stung. She looked up towards the girls, her fear and anger growing, yet she still refused to reach for her lightsaber, not against them.

Flora and Kai circled Rey as they watched her before them.

Rey struggled to blink away the shock and confusion as her eyes met theirs, and was not able to hide the small gasp that escaped with Kai spoke.

"We know about Kylo Ren."

For a moment, the entire forest was silent, every bird and insect seemed to be stunned in silence along with Rey, who was frozen on the ground as she stared up into Flora and Kai's cold gaze.

"I don't..." Rey began to lie, but she could feel that no matter what she tried to come up with, she would not be able to fib to either one of them. Her heart was racing, and sweat began to bead her forehead.

"Don't lie. I saw you on the balcony. He appeared out of thin air. He's your bonded, isn't he?" Flora grumbled.

Rey weighed her options, and though she was confused as to how they knew, Rey knew she would have had to tell them sooner or later.

Still shaking, Rey got to her feet, breathing heavily as she tried to get a grip on the reality that was staring right back at her.

The words tumbled out, hitting each other one right after the other, eager to get the truth out in return for understanding. Rey told them about her bond with Kylo Ren, and that he was the one to kill Snoke, and save them from Sano. After a moment of speaking, she wasn't sure she could tell them the intense connection they had, and how real it was.

So, instead of speaking of it some more, she showed them. Rey relived the moments that brought them here, recalling the moments in her mind as Flora and Kai watched through the force.

When she was done, they all stood silently.

"What if it's a trick..." Kai began, staring off into the distance with her arms crossed.

"It's not. It's never been." Rey replied.

"But, he doesn't even know what he'll do after he succeeds with the challenge day. He could..." Flora trailed off.

Rey shook her head. "No one knows what we'll do after, but having him as supreme leader would be better than any of the knights of Ren. They reported to Snoke, they fought for Snoke. Kylo did, but he ended it."

"Wouldn't that mean he's worse than Snoke?" Kai asked, facing Rey now, and she was glad to see Kai's glare was washed away.

"I'd rather trust him than trust a blood and power thirsty knight." Rey muttered, and Flora and Kai nodded as they looked away again.

"We have to tell Leia." Flora stated.

"She already knows. Well... She knows about the bond, and that he was the one that helped when Sano escaped. She was the one that escorted Kylo onto base to find me."

Flora and Kai looked at one another, a quick look of disbelief flashed across their face before they accepted the truth.

"So what's the plan now? Why are you trying to get to Cinnon'Ra?" Kai asked Rey, eyeing her face.

Sighing, Rey licked at her lips and felt the waves of tension roll to her neck in fear that they would back out of the plan to travel there.

"Kylo can't win against the knights of ren without facing backlash from the rest of the First Order. If he's not supreme leader, we lose any chance at protection or survival." Rey began, but Flora cut her off.

"You don't really believe that he will call truce to this war do you?"

A sharp pain of sadness poked at Rey's heart as she answered. "No. I don't think that's realistic at all. Months ago, after the battle on Crait, he hinted towards building a new order, a structure that I'm sure would forfeit the freedom that the Rebellion wants. I'm not sure if that's changed. But, at least he's open to keeping us alive versus a new supreme leader that would intensify the war that ultimately left us all dead."

The last words Rey spoke made the hair on her skin raise, but she knew it was the truth, raw in it's light, and if it wasn't spoken in the most realistic form, no one would understand.

The twins sat with Rey's words echoing in their minds, and Rey tuned into her surroundings, allowing herself to fall into the cushion that is the force and zoned in on Flora and Kai's feelings.

"So, you're plan is to eliminate any person who stands in Kylo Ren's way, so that his own fleet doesn't turn against him..." Flora said. "If they could be that disloyal, who is to say that they won't go back on their pledge once he takes the throne as leader? This is mad."

"No one would have reason to, with no one to challenge him, any disloyalty towards him after would be treason, lawfully speaking. If no one is to challenge him, it will also prove that he is too powerful to be challenged to begin with. " Rey explained.

She watched as they weighed their options, tried to find any other possibility or outcome to this war, and in the end, came out with nothing.

Flora was watching her sister, her own mind not set until Kai spoke first, always loyal to her sister first and last. Kai met her gaze, and for a moment, seemed to share in their own bond their choice before they timidly turned to Rey.

"We stand with you." Kai said, offering her hand out to Rey as a sign of both truce and sorrow.

Rey was not expecting this reaction, but the words stood with Rey from that moment on, and she vowed to not let them down. She knew she could trust them with everything, and so she did.

Rey took a step forward, and grasped Kai's hand. Flora grew closer, and laid her hand ontop of Rey's, whose was still clasped in Kai's.

"Not with Kylo Ren. With you." Flora replied.

Rey glanced from girl to girl, and then down to their clasped hands, determined to take Cinnon'Ra, to ensure Kylo's place as supreme leader, and in turn, hopefully, a better life for them all.

( X )

YAY! Chapter 30! Thank you to everyone who is still reading and reviewing! I appreciate it and love it to no end, and it is a constant motivator, so thank you all! I'm finally back from my vacation, so I'm sorry that I didn't update this week, but stay tuned! I am back and ready to get this show moving! :D


	31. Chapter 31

A few days later, Rey was wandering the docking stations where the Millennium Falcon was resting, and alongside it, Chewie sat on the dirt as he turned a broken compressor around in his furry hands.

Rey smiled to herself as she admired her loyal friend, feeling a quick prick of sadness poke at her heart as she remembered the moment that tore him apart.

Sighing, Rey made her way over towards him a small smile playing on her lips as she heard the whizzing of a robot quickly approach from behind her. Looking down, her smile widened when she saw BB-8 rolling at her side, greeting her.

Somehow, this little machine knew of the weight that lay on her shoulders, and Rey was comforted by the knowledge for a reason she was unsure of.

Chewie stood on his large feet, roaring his own greeting to Rey, who now stood in front of him. He ruffled her hair, and told her he missed seeing her face, making Rey grin even more.

"I'm sorry, Chewie. I've been training endlessly." Rey said, glancing down to the new, purple bruise she was spotting on her arm, thanks to Flora. They had been training all day, testing out new strikes and throwing daggers at wooden planks, anything to help the cause.

Chewie nodded eagerly, understanding fully well how committed she was to her job.

Nervously, Rey glanced from the ground, to his face, and back down to BB-8.

"Well, I need your help, Chewie. Now more than ever." Rey said, almost whispering the request. BB-8 whistled his surprise, and scooted closer to hear Chewie's response.

For a moment, Rey was unsure what he would say, or if he even understood that she was asking a favor of him.

What shocked her though, was the way Chewie did not hesitate to reply with full loyalty and understanding, telling her that he would do anything for her, adding that he would also do anything for Ben.

Rey instantly froze, and her eyes shot up to Chewie's.

At that moment, it dawned on her that she never gave much attention to the relationship Chewie and Ben had before he gave himself to the dark side, and to Rey, the fact that Chewie knew they were doing this mission for Ben, gave all the answers Rey needed.

To Chewie, this was still his best friend's son, his partner's family, and for Han, Chewie would always be dedicated to bringing Ben back, for both Han and for Leia. To him, Ben would always be the hope that Han died for, the hope that would save the galaxy from the impending war that was coming their way.

Realizing that she was staring at this point, tears threatening to spill over, Rey blinked them away as she turned around to look up at the sky, BB-8 positioned himself at her side once more, and Chewie threw a heavy arm over her shoulders and joined the pair.

Behind them, Flora and Kai approached and took a place besides BB-8, glancing towards Rey, and to the pink, purple sky that surrounded them.

"Sky watching?" Kai asked, boredom already dripping from her usual bubbly tone.

Her tone made Rey chuckle, admiring how Kai never hid how she truly felt.

Chewie roared a humorous growl, telling her to watch the attitude, which made all three girls laugh.

Settling down, Rey peered up at Chewie and gave his arm a small nudge as she spoke. "Chewie has agreed to help us, to help Ben."

Flora and Kai's heads turned to Chewie quickly, surprised just as Rey was when he agreed. Chewie nodded and shrugged, loving the attention.

"Wow...Well, that's awesome. At least we have a quick getaway." Flora muttered.

The last bit caught Rey's attention, and she moved to stand in front of the twins, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Do you really think we will need it? If things get … out of hand." Rey asked.

Flora thought for a moment before answering, glancing from the sky and back to Rey.

"We are talking about Cinnon'Ra, and the Knights of Ren. We will need a quick getaway, no doubt about it." Flora said, looking Rey in the eye now.

Rey nodded. "What will the Challenge day be like there?"

Kai shook her head at whatever though flew to her mind before she spoke. "It's a celebration, an all out celebration. They celebrate the death of the old and birth of the new. At the end of the day, it's about war and death."

"And food, and women, and music... a feast for killers. It's sickening." Flora added.

From beside Rey, Chewie mumbled in agreement.

Sighing, Rey turned her back to the group, and BB-8 beeped out a single worded suggestion, catching Rey's attention. Glancing away, she thought about it, wondering which way they could take this. Coming to a conclusion, she grinned and knelt down to the round bot, patting it's head.

"Yes, that could work."

Standing, Rey eagerly turned to Kai and Flora. "Go get Tally, the seamstress. We need a disguise, and I think I have one that could work!"

The group stared at one another, a small smile playing on each of their faces.

( X )

Later that day, the group said their farewells and went their separate ways to prepare for their trip. Rey, who was slowly making her way back to her room on sore feet, was too busy thinking to make any sense of much else.

Yes, she was surely nervous, more nervous than she wanted to admit. She understood what a big chance her friends were taking to accompany her to Cinnon'Ra to, hopefully, put an end to the Knights of Ren and ensure that Ben took his place as Supreme Leader.

The whole idea made her nauseous, the idea of good and bad sides made it worse.

"What is it?" A heavy tone called from behind her. Rey quickly turned, coming face to face with the man that was currently on her mind. She cursed herself for being so distracted that she did not feel the bond connect.

Rey struggled to hide the gasp as she froze, only able to move her eyes up to his dark face. His hair was tousled, and she could tell he had been running his gloved hands through it.

He was studying her now, searching her face, and she realized, her thoughts. Coming back to her sense, Rey glared at him, making no impact on Kylo.

"Well?" he asked again, his tone more stern than before. It amazed Rey how he felt so comfortable just demanding anything he wanted, and it dawned on her that no one ever refused him before she came along.

That fact made Rey smile, and Kylo arched a brown, his mouth in a thin line.

"Just a headache." Rey said, brushing his questions away. She turned her back to him and continued walking to her room, Kylo following her at a slow pace.

Once in her room, Rey let Kylo walk past her and closed the door behind him, making sure to lock it. The absolute last thing she wanted was to be interrupted. The pit of Rey's stomach fell when she realized this may be the last time they see each other before the Challenge Day.

She watched him as he clasped his hands behind his back, standing tall as he stared off into the distance in his own world, wondering what he could be looking at on the other side of the bond.

Biting her lip, Rey glanced to the floor and then to the small pile of books in the corner of her room, spotting the last book she was studying, part of the jedi texts she took from Ach-To.

Kylo turned to face her, feeling out of place at the sudden connection the force bond had made after he had finished dressing. It was not expected, but he had been doing a lot of thinking, and planning, as of late. His thoughts had just come to Rey when they connected.

Facing her now, he was able to really look at her, from her brown, wispy hair, to her bruised and over worked arms, down the muddy and torn up shoes she wore.

To him, this was the Rey he respected above all.

Rey cleared her throat under his gaze, feeling her stomach turn from something that resembled excitement. It made her blush, and her cheeks warmed.

She decided to break the silence, and spoke first. "How's training going?" she asked.

Kylo's face gave no hint to what he thought or felt, and this, Rey was very used to.

"Small talk." He scoffed. Rey rolled her eyes in return, walking to her books and bending down to pick up the one she was reading.

Looking down at the book, she saw it was turned to the page that had words written in symbols no one was able to translate, even Kylo. Rey traced a single finger over the curves and sharp edges, admiring the ink that had burrowed into the page, desperately looking for any clue to what it said, and still, came up with nothing.

Sighing, Rey met Kylo's gaze again, his own eyes flickering up to her from the book. His thoughts, too, were on the odd signs he was not able to make out on the page.

Forgetting the book, they locked eyes, both Kylo and Rey felt a brief, yet very strong wave of discomfort hit them, bouncing off of each other.

The overwhelming sense that a goodbye was coming made Rey's eyes burn with tears, but she was determined to not let them spill. Instead, she blinked them away furiously, trying to hide the frown her lips were forming into.

Kylo's eyes drifted away, his face still. For some reason, the fact he had no emotion displayed on his face gave Rey the feeling that he was going through the same struggle.

Stepping closer to him, Rey peered at him, admiring how his black hair fell into his face, as if shielding him. Timidly, she moved her hand to brush it away, uncaring what he would say or feel about it. However, before her hand met its target, he reached up and caught her hand, softly holding it midair.

His eyes met hers, and for a moment, she felt how uncertain he truly was about the challenge day, even leaving at all. Rey wanted so badly to convince him to refuse it, to beg him to join her side, to forget all else that beckoned him to the dark side. Yet, she knew it would make no difference.

In the end, he was doing this for her, and she was doing this for him.

They give the other's hand a soft squeeze, and silently said their goodbyes.

For the quickest second, Rey let her block down to allow her mind to speak to his, refusing to speak any more than she already had out of fear that she may get emotional.

'Soon.' Her mind whispered to his, and Kylo gave a single, soft nod.

In the blink of an eye, the force bond disconnected, leaving Rey alone in her chambers, aching with anticipation for her next meeting with Kylo, knowing in the next week they will be face to face, one full year since the battle on Crait.

Looking down to the book in her hand, her index finger bookmarked the page she previously was admiring. Opening it once more, a single tear fell to the page that held the unknown symbol, and Rey wondered if she would ever find out what it meant, and if Kylo would ever forgive her for what she was planning to do in Cinnon'Ra.


	32. Chapter 32

Several days later, Rey was keeping herself busy as she packed last minute items into a small satchel, wondering if her nerves would ever calm. The closer the day to leave came, the worse it got. Her stomach was constantly tight, her temples throbbing, heart racing.

The anxiety was almost too much.

Sighing, Rey lifted a hand to her cheek, giving a small press to help cool her down. The Challenge Day was so vile to her, and the picture she had in her mind of how the city of Cinnon'Ra is, made her cringe. Yet, she could not deny that underneath it all, she was eager to get a glimpse of Ben.

What was complicated even more than her plan, was how she felt about him, and what would happen once her plan was in action.

Rey practiced every single moment of the day for the plan, alongside both Flora and Kai, who seemed excited for the getaway and for the oncoming fight that they were flying to.

What was most important to Rey, however, was keeping the girls safe, and Ben himself.

Now, in only a few hours, they would be leaving in the middle of the night, Chewie and BB-8 ready aboard the Millennium Falcon, and set to take off the moment all three women set foot on the ship.

The anticipation made Rey's hands shake against her cheek, and she clasped her hands together, steadying her breath.

Right then, she heard a soft knock at the door to her chambers, making Rey quickly turn towards it only to see Princess Leia entering and closing the door behind her.

The atmosphere quickly changed, the air filling with scents of lilies and ocean water. It reminded Rey of the small island she often thought of... the island she met Anakin and Obi Wan on.

Rey opened her mouth to speak, her body and mind willing to give a small hello, in hopes that it would show the General that she was calm. However, Rey sensed that Leia knew better.

In fact, Leia knew it all.

Leia Organa stepped closer to Rey, her small frame covered by a long, grey dress and black cloak. From behind layers of clothing, her hand reached towards Rey's, and the young girl caught her hand, each holding the others to give reassurance.

Rey's stomach clenched again, and her emotions beckoned for a release that Rey refused.

'Not now... not now...' she kept telling herself as she glanced to the ground, and back to meet Leia's eyes.

"I know you're leaving." Leia said, a sad smile tugging at her lips. Rey realized that the General was holding back tears as well.

"How?" Rey's small voice whispered as she blinked away her own tears.

"Chewie never leaves without a goodbye." Leia said, trying and failing to force out a chuckle.

Rey looked away again, feeling ashamed that there had to be a goodbye at all, especially when it came to Leia.

Rey shook her head, trying to fight off the negative thoughts that came flooding through her mind, begging her to call it all off.

"I have to go." Rey muttered, swallowing the sob she wanted to cry out. Clearing her throat, she looked back up to Leia when her tears ran away. "I have to."

Leia was already nodding when their eyes met. "I know." The older woman said calmly. She moved her hand out of Rey's and embraced her, and they stood there for a few moments as their anxiety and impatience clashed together, and eventually, washed away.

Together, they were stronger. Rey thought it may have had something to do with the force, but right now, she couldn't think about that.

Stepping back, Leia took a cloth from her cloaks pocket and dabbed a few times at each of her cheeks before she spoke.

"Rey, if something happens... We won't be able to follow you out there. Our fleet-"

"I know." Rey nodded. When their eyes met once again, Leia understood that Rey knew exactly what risks she was taking. The dark look in Rey's eyes gave away all of her thoughts, and Leia's own stomach clenched with a surprising pain, one that she remembered feeling when Ben was just a boy... when she wished she could take his pain away, yet she knew she couldn't...

Sighing, she looked towards her clasped hands. "Bring him home... I just want him home..."

The aching sadness that pierced through Leia's whisper hit Rey more than anything.

It didn't hurt Rey that Leia didn't ask her to stay, in fact it helped. No one on this planet would ever be able to convince her to stay, and to have Leia's support only fueled Rey's need to go even more.

For the first time since the plan was evened out, Rey felt her worries wash away, and she was able to breathe.

( X )

Hours later, Flora and Kai met with Rey a few miles outside of the base, skirting around the outsides of the security parameter, undetected by no one. As Rey led the twins to the meet up spot, she couldn't help but feel bad for not saying goodbye to her friends.

She wondered if Finn would ever forgive her, and if Rose would ever speak to her again... and Poe...

Rey's heart stopped for the quickest second as Poe's face entered her mind. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt any of them, but something made Rey feel as though this would hurt him the most.

She couldn't deny that she felt as though she was betraying every person she cared for, and Rey tried to convince herself that she was doing this only for the Resistance, but deep down she knew that was a lie. Yes, she was doing this for them, for their lives, but a very selfish part of Rey revealed that she needed to do this for Ben, as if it would fix any wrong that had been done to him.

"Do you love him?" Kai breathlessly asked from behind her.

Rey froze for a moment, suddenly realizing that Kai was watching her thoughts from within her own mind.

Using the force to push her out, Rey saw she had overpowered her mind as Kai stumbled into her. The young twin muttered an apology, but still waited for the answer.

Rey's brows furrowed as she thought for a moment, but was not able to come to the answer on her own before Kai spoke again.

"Well, I mean you must, since you're going through all this trouble..." Kai trailed off when Flora scoffed at her.

"He isn't the only reason we are doing this." Rey said, her annoyance reaching a new record for how fast it came.

"Really? So, when and if the time comes, you'll kill him before he kills us?" Kai asked, her own tone giving her away. This was a question that she had been wanting to ask, and the fact that she asked it before they were to leave Pyron let Rey know that she had to set the record straight.

Though, her heart ached at the answer.

Stopping in her tracks, Rey turned to face the twins, who stopped walking as well.

"Yes. If and when the time comes, I will kill him in a heartbeat over losing any of you. But, he won't kill you. I know he won't." Rey said, her eyes shooting from Kai to Flora. The look she gave them made the girls believe every word, and Rey did indeed, and knew herself that if he were to ever do such a thing, she would either kill him first or sacrifice herself while doing so.

"Do you think they'll expect anything?" Flora sked.

For a moment, Rey thought on this. They had gone over the plan so many times, but even Rey had to be sure herself.

"There's always a chance, but with everything going on, the last thing they'll expect is a small crew of rebels in the mix of it. We've trained endlessly for this. We'll be right in front of them and they won't even know it." Rey glanced towards the sky, taking in every star and every planet in view before she turned back to them. "They won't."

Flora and Kai shared a glance that Rey had witnessed may times, a glance of excitement and certainty, a glance that Rey was jealous of, because all she could think of was seeing Ben, and getting to him before anything had the chance of going wrong.

The last words Leia spoke to her before she left gave Rey the calm reassurance that she needed.

'There are three things that you will forever have. The night will come again, and so will the day, and the force will always be at your side.'

( X )

The days dragged on.

The tension electrified the air more than it ever had before, even when Snoke ruled.

The boots of the troopers that walked the halls echoed to every room.

Shots were fired to ensure every weapon was in perfect condition.

In this state, the fleet that belonged to Kylo Ren was untouchable.

Kylo Ren, who was staring down at thousands of his men get in combat formation, should have been in a better mood than he currently was. Instead, he was frustrated.

With the Challenge Day here, General Hux was much too happy to here on Cinnon'Ra, and Kylo could only assume that it was to do with Vicar being his challenger, which annoyed the would-be Supreme Leader even more.

In only a few hours, the feast would begin, and so would the nights entertainment before the fight was to start, that is, if Kylo answered the challenge.

His jaw clenched at the idea, eager to put an end to the annoying wrench in his plan that is Vicar Ren.

Highly irritated, Kylo pushed aside a dressing droid that came up to him with a new cloak, brushing past it as he stormed to his chambers.

Sweat began to run down the back of his neck, matting down his hair as stripped away the clothes he had on so that he could bathe before the feast. The last thing he wanted to do was attend the damned thing, however if he didn't, no doubt Vicar would take that as an acceptance of the challenge.

And of course, if Kylo did strike him down, he would then have to answer to the rest of the Knights of Ren, taking side of anything but the First Order and asking for a war with himself.

It was all such a mess, a mess he did not want to deal with and felt he shouldn't have to. He was Snoke apprentice, what else did they need...

For a moment, the thought of Snoke made Kylo think of the day he had killed him, and the girl who had helped.

It had been days now, since the last time the force connected him to Rey, and the thought of her seemed to have made his anger and annoyance lower, something he was tired of attempting to figure out.

It was too much to chalk up to the force bond. He knew that against all training, and against all rules of the dark side, he was attached to her and had no need to tear himself away, in fact, he almost wished he could talk to her once more, however he denied himself that.

With the Challenge Day here, he needed all of his focus to be on the outcome of today's events, because the outcome itself would lay path to whatever future involved Rey.

Cursing, Kylo unclasped his cloak and let it fall to the ground as a disturbing thought fleeted across his mind, a silent question if he would ever see Rey again.

( X )

"Kylo Ren!" Vicar Ren yelled as he pushed two girls off of his lap and stood to greet Kylo.

It had been only a few minutes since Kylo and a few of his troops had been escorted to the large, outside lounge that the feast was going to take place.

There were tons of tables set up everywhere, plates of food and barrels of wine bunkered to every table. Women flittered to every man that stood and every man that sat, barely dressed in sheer skirts, jewelry, and bralettes. Some of them danced on the large stage that stood in front of the tables, light shining on the next performers.

Behind them, another stage was set up where a band played music that brought a headache to Kylo, making him wince even more when Vicar approached him and slapped a fat hand to this shoulder.

"Ah, boy. It's been too long." Vicar stated as he led Kylo and his men to his own table. He grabbed his chalice and chugged the remaining contents before shoving his cup into a woman's hands, wordlessly demanding a refill.

Kylo resisted the urge to leave once more, taking a seat next to Vicar as people talked over the music behind them.

A barely dressed woman attempted to seductively walk up to Kylo, who waived her off. She shrugged and went to a Stormtrooper standing behind him, who was guarding Kylo, and trailed a slim finger down the front of his armor.

Kylo turned his head to the side, a silent threat to the trooper, and the woman was quickly pushed to the side as Vicar turned his attention once more to Kylo.

"The rest are here. We have front row seats! Tell me, with the galaxy on my side, and a war at your doorstep, you won't really challenge me, will you?" Vicar drunkenly asked with amusement dripping from his tone.

Kylo arched a single brow, his lips in a thin and firm line. Before he could respond, he whipped his head around to his side again when he heard his Stormtrooper reach for someone who approached him. Seeing the person, he waived his men off and let them take their leave, deciding that there was no need for any protection with everyone so intoxicated already.

Beside him, he watched as the rest of the Knights of Ren took their seats, all nodding a quick greeting to Kylo, who did not return any greeting whatsoever.

"Good to see you haven't changed." Makeem, one of the Knights, said to him.

Makeem was the youngest, yet fastest of the Knights of Ren, a new initiate that Snoke picked up only a few years ago. He was also the only one that gave Snoke so much push back, a frustration to Snoke yet amusement to Kylo.

"Has anyone here changed, really?" Kylo muttered to him, making Makeem smirk as they both glanced to Vicar, who was again being entertained with another girl on his lap.

"It is possible." Seena, the fourth member of the Knights of Ren, called out from across the table. Kylo met her cold glare, returning her look with his own. She was always the one that was competing for Snoke's attention, but was turned away when she couldn't master the art of the force.

"You know, possible to change. I mean, you were chosen for the dark side, you killed your poor, little father, felt bad about it and what do you know, Snoke is dead the next second. Change of heart? Or maybe change of side?" Seena implied.

Kylo's gloved hand twitched at the thought of force choking her, but Vicar's loud laugh tore through the tension.

"Enough! You two were always the worst. While I rule, you will put an end to your games." Vicar seethed once he was down with his laugh.

From the corner of his eye, Kylo noticed the last two Knights of Ren, Paz and Cosic, shaking their heads in annoyance.

'So, Vicar doesn't have everyone on his side...' Kylo thought, and to confirm this, he channeled the force and felt their defiance, along with something else.

Shooting up from his chair, Kylo quickly glanced around the room, his sharp eyes shooting from face to face, unable to spot her.

He felt her.

He felt her more than ever, since her powers were strengthening.

Turning around quickly, he continued his eager search, his anger boiling to new heights as more and more people piled into the room as the lights dimmed, giving hint to a new act on the stage.

A woman that was passing bumped into him, and like the others, barely dressed, however this one had on a sheer veil that covered her face from the eyes down. Kylo noticed that a side of her face was badly burned, and for some reason, that felt familiar to him.

With his brows furrowed, he watched as the woman slowly made her way to the stage as the lights shut off, and a spotlight flew to another woman on the center of the stage, similarly dressed to the one that bumped into him. This one though, was dressed in a dark sheer outfit, with jewels decorating the milky smooth skin that gleamed in the light.

A seductive and upbeat song began to play, thankfully not played by the cheap cantina band, and the room grew silent. Every man and woman on the large balcony stopped their own entertainment and conversation to watch the trio that slowly began to dance to the music, all three in synch as they picked up their pace, always making sure to shield their face with the help of their veils.

For a very long moment, Kylo was entranced. He watched as the woman seemed to lead the other two, their bare feet seemingly floating above the floor as they moved with such ease, her long and toned torso calling the eyes of every spectator as the jewels made their own music against her skin.

Her skin...

As the three women stood side by side, they placed one hand on their hip, and turned their sides to the audience, extending one long arm to them, and pulling it in to their other hand that was planted at their hip, turning the back of their heads to the crowd, and facing them again as they reach their arm and hand out once more.

Her skin...

The trio repeated the same move again, this time, the woman he was watching met his eyes.

Her skin...

Just then, Kylo remembered the vision he had of Rey when she was dressed in the long black dress, her skin peeking out from the plunge and the slit.

It was Rey. She was here, and she was right on the sta-

Right when Kylo opened his mouth, and his foot began to take step towards the stage, the trio repeated their move for the third time, this time daggers shot out from their hands and implanted themselves deep into the flesh of Seena and Cosic, along with a few of their men. Their limp bodies fell to the floor as the balcony was filled with screams and shock.

From the side of the stage, blasters lit off, hitting Vicar as he tried to move from his seat, shoving the now deceased girl off from his lap.

Kylo's glance shot back to the stage as he heard Rey's lightsaber emerge and strike on, piercing the air, electricity whipping from her sword and stinging the area around her.

He watched with a near wide mouth and wide eyes as she ran to the edge of the stage, having already pulled one of Vicar's men to her by the force, and plunged her lightsaber into him.

People scurried around him, bumping into him so much that he nearly stumbled to the ground, but was caught by several of his own stormtroopers as they pulled him to the nearest exit, General Hux waiting for him with an angry face.

"What is this? What's hap-" Hux was interrupted by a blaster shot that nearly struck his neck, but dodged it by ducking.

"Get the girl, I don't give a damn about the rest!" Vicar said, suddenly behind a still shocked Kylo.

The last thing he wanted was Rey to be in the hands of Vicar, but when he turned to her, expecting to see her still fighting across the stage, she was gone.


	33. Chapter 33

(Before the Events at Cinnon'Ra)

The journey was long, almost too long. The closer they grew to the city, and the farther they flew from home, made Rey feel more anxious than ever. She tried to meditate, and found it to be too difficult to sit still, her mind racing with different outcomes and possibilities for their plan.

In the end, Rey decided to tinker with the tracking device that was to be carried with BB-8, making sure that the signal would be able to last farther than expected, and remain mute throughout their time in the city.

From the cockpit, Chewie roared loud enough to fill every corner of the Falcon, alerting the team that they have arrived and landed on the docking station hidden behind a waterfall, just as Flora and Kai instructed.

Rey's stomach clenched as she walked towards the lounge area where Flora and Kai were sorting through their disguises, tossing Rey's to her.

"I suggest you get changed now. The sooner we leave, the better." Flora mumbled as she unstrapped her boot and kicked it off.

Rey unfolded the outfit that was tossed to her, struggling to swallow over the giant lump in her throat as she looked over the sheer skirt, wondering where the rest of the pieces were.

"Don't worry about it, we'll be blending in. In fact, we might even be wearing too much clothes." Kai said, winking to Rey. Rey inhaled sharply, resisting the urge to grab her lightsaber and tear through the city herself.

'Remember the plan.' a voice whispered to her. Rey quickly turned around, looking for the source but only coming face to face with the rusted wall of the kitchenette.

'That sounded like...' Rey's thought trailed off as Kai came up to her, holding a large silver necklace up to her neck, inspecting it against Rey's skin.

"Take this one. It'll distract from the eyes." Kai said, shoving the piece into Rey's hand that was still gripping the outfit.

Rey blinked a few times, and turned around again. "Did either of you hear anything? I could have sworn..." Again, Rey was cut off by BB-8 rolling around the corner of the hall and right up to her.

The unit whistled and beeped to her, letting her know that it did not detect any life sources around the area.

Rey 's attention snapped back to the task at hand, sighing as she winced at the garment, deciding to suck it up and change, knowing that there was no way around this, and it was far too late to turn back now.

( X )

Nearly four hours later, the team stood together at the end of an underground tunnel that they traveled through to get into the middle of the city, undetected by any resident.

Once they came above ground, Chewie said his farewell, having done his part and escorted them through the tunnels. There was no way they would be able to get to the theater the feast was being held at with Chewie standing out. So, it was decided that he would be skipping out until later.

As for BB-8, he was currently traveling with the trio, hidden beneath Rey's large, black cloak. It made walking rather awkward, but the girls huddled together so they wouldn't raise any suspicion.

The three women made their way through the crowds of Cinnon'Ra, the streets filled busy bodies, every face showing a scowl or scar, most times both. Rey had to be constantly reminded to keep her head down, and make sure her face was shielded by the sheer veil, yet at times, she could not resist the urge to glance up.

There were vendors parked at every empty spot of the dirt roads, offering all types of illegal services and arms, some offering food and basic needs. It seemed that every person that was awake, was smoking some type of cigar or cigarette, the stench in the air mixed with the sweat and alcohol made their noses tingle.

Rey noticed a few kids jumping into a muddy puddle of to the side, and as she began to smile at the pure innocence that was seemed to be so scarce in the city, her smile washed away as she watched the same kids run up to a group of people and pickpocket them.

Rey's face fell, remembering a time not too long ago when she had to do the same, in hopes that she'd have a meal for the first time that week.

It was a game of survival.

In this galaxy, it always was.

( X )

'There! To the left!' Kai said excitedly to her both her sister and Rey's minds. Rey glanced to her, and Kai nodded into the direction that the theater was at.

It was hidden rather well in the mix of giant, green trees, the only thing in the city that showed any sign of life. She refused to count the stealing and arms trading as life, things she had witnessed on their long walk from the Falcon.

The women shuffled off from their path and up the stone walkway, choosing to go through the exit door off to the side of the building. From the outside, Rey could already hear the yelling and joyous singing from the big crowd inside, the audience spilling out onto the balcony that had a giant docking station, no doubt for the Challengers.

As they made their way inside, the serving staff rushed by them in bundles, eager to get the next batch of food and drinks to the proper tables and guests, paying no mind to the three women that had just entered.

Flora turned back to Rey, who nodded towards a door down the hall that cast no shadow of light in the creases.

'There. It must be empty.' she said to their minds.

Slowly, they made their way into the room, Kai turning the light on as soon as Rey had waddled inside. She closed the door, her back pressed against it as she yanked the sheer veil down beneath her chin and deeply inhaled.

A chunk of tension left the three of them as BB-8 rolled out from the cloak, a soft series of beeps escaping to show his own sign of relief.

Flora stretched her arms, letting the aches of anxiety roll away from her as Rey and Kai rolled their necks around.

"There," Kai sighed, a soft smile creeping across her face. "We made it!" She exclaimed, louder that she intended.

Rey's eyes widened as the music outside transitioned to another song, the moment of silence taking place as Kai spoke. The following moment, a loud bang hit the door, making Rey jump. BB-8 quickly rolled beneath a table in the corner of the room, Flora and Kai's hands flying to their weapons placed on the inside of their skirts.

Rey's hand shot up to let them know to be quiet and hold fire, channeling the force to get a feel for the atmosphere the stranger brought. She squared her shoulders and placed the veil back on her face, turning the doorknob to open the door and opening it only an inch.

A tall man towered over on the other side of the door, his face painted with all sorts of ink. "Who are you? This is my dressing room!" He bellowed.

For a moment, Rey froze and her instincts begged to be let loose, yet she refrained. Instead, she smiled as she spoke softly. "We just needed to get dressed. Be out shortly."

The man's big hand shot out to hold the door from closing, irritating Rey instantly.

"I said this is MY dressing room. Guards-" He began to yell behind him, but Rey placed a soft hand on his forearm, making him freeze. He turned to meet her eyes, suddenly lost and without purpose.

"You will find another room, and speak nothing of this encounter." Rey's voice spilled into him, all silk and stern. The man's demeanor changed, suddenly friendly and eager to please, completely unaware that she was using the force to control his weak being.

He smiled down towards her, Rey never breaking eye contact.

"I will find another room, and speak nothing of this encounter." He joyfully said, turning on his heel to go find another room.

Rey watched through the creak of the door to ensure he did as was told, and was thrilled to see it had worked when he drifted from room to room, looking for a new spot to ready himself at.

Just as she was going to close the door, a voice down the hall caught her attention, and she froze to listen.

"Cosic, there is no way that Vicar would win this challenge if properly testified. Kylo Ren could very well be our next leader." A woman said to a man that was leaning against a wall down the hallway. It seemed to Rey that they were trying their best to talk in hushed tones, but with the booming loud music in the building, it was difficult to speak without someone else hearing.

"I don't give a damn. Kylo will get rid of that vile man. I'd rather serve Kylo than Vicar, hell, I'm sure half the galaxy would prefer that. But, you hear me now, the moment Ren takes over that spot, I'll be next in line." The man named Cosic said proudly.

The remark made Rey grip the doorknob harder than she intended.

"You mean you'll kill Kylo?" the woman asked, a hint of laughter hidden beneath her tone.

"The prince of darkness? As long as he gets Vicar out of my way, you can count on that." With that said, the pair laughed as they left the hallway and re-joined their own group.

Rey watched the empty hallway a moment longer, daring the man to enter her view once more. With an angry sigh, Rey shut the door and shut her eyes, a pounding headache threatening her temples.

It seemed Kylo had many more enemies here than she had thought.

Turning back to the girls, Rey met the excited eyes of Kai. "Wow! That was really impressive. Have you done that a lot? Force someone to do something else like that?" she asked, Flora stood behind, wordlessly eager for the answer as well.

The look on their faces almost made Rey smile.

Almost.

"Yes. It can be draining though. I've only tried a few times. I don't know... I was just frightened." Rey replied, fidgeting aimlessly with a jewel that was sewn onto her belt. Rey was reminded of the costume she wore, and her stomach began to turn again.

"Don't fret. Remember the plan." Flora said quietly to Rey. She met the younger girls gaze, and Flora gave a reassuring nod, which Rey returned.

Taking a deep breath, Rey unclasped her cloak, letting it fall to the floor. Suddenly, a loud roar of applause and cheers burst out through the halls from the balcony, welcoming the newest visitor.

"Kylo Ren!" a man's husky voice boomed with excitement as he welcomed him.

Heat threatened to roll up Rey's cheeks, suddenly nervous and excited that she was so near to him.

'No. Control yourself... He'll pick up on my energy, easily.' Rey scolded herself. She quickly worked to relieve herself of any tension, closing her eyes to focus all of her energy to building a block that surrounded Flora, Kai, and herself. It was draining, but at this point, she had no choice.

Rey truly hated to admit it, but Kylo was more experienced with the force than she was, and she knew the moment he felt her presence, he would try to stop her with whatever she was planning on doing.

Wetting her lips, Rey sighed as she met Kai and Flora's eyes, who were now in their own costumes, their cloaks joining Rey's on the ground.

BB-8 hesitantly rolled to Rey's side, turning his head to inquire about the time.

Rey nodded at the bot. "Yes, it's time. You remember what to do?" Rey asked as she knelt down to the ground, pulling out a small device and handing it over to BB-8's now extended claw. "Play this the moment we step out there, and stay out of the way. It's going to get crazy. You've already sent Chewie our location?" she asked. BB-8 whistled a confirmation, and made his way next to a trash can that sat in the corner of the room.

Rey followed, flipping the can over and emptying the contents as Flora and Kai watched her cover the droid with it, giving it his own disguise.

"Go, then." Rey said, a forced smile on his lips as she walked to the door, and opening it to look down both directions of the hallway. She took a moment to ensure no one was approaching, and was satisfied when it remained empty, the kitchen staff now taking care of their guests in the hall.

She widened the door enough for BB-8 to roll out and watched as he scurried off to find the link system to the speakers.

"Alright. Let's do this." Flora said.

A heavy wave of energy hit them all, a bouncing sensation that consisted of determination and easiness. Rey was not sure which of the girls reflected it, but either way she grateful.

Without another word, the girls made their way out, Rey instructing Kai and Flora to go around the stage and through the center of the hall, in hopes of taking eyes off the main stage.

Approaching the end of the hall, Rey made sure to adjust the veil so that it would not slip off at any time as she replayed the movements the trio had practiced endlessly for.

Over the intercom, a sultry song began to play, and the band that was playing on the opposite stage went silent as all of the guest's attention flew to Flora and Kai as they made their way to the stage.

From the far end, Rey noticed Kai bump into Kylo Ren, who seemed to be on alert.

She had seen that exact stance far too many times now. He knew something was going on, but he still hadn't figured it out.

Standing tall and swallowing her nervousness as it rose, Rey made her way out onto the stage, keeping her eyes cast down as she moved her arms slowly to the beat of the song that played.

Flora and Kai joined her at her sides, and together, all three women channeled the force, combining their energy into a smooth vine that enwrapped them. With this, they moved together, completely in synch with every breath they took and every move they made.

Their hips jutted, their legs moved this way and that, the jewels on their outfits singing their own song as they moved seductively to the beat.

As their arms stretched out to the crowd, they folded back in towards the hip hidden from the audience, each person in the theater unaware that the girls were shimming their belts down a fraction to expose their weapons.

By the second time they did this move, Rey felt a sudden spike of anger and shock hit the atmosphere, and a wave flowed from Kai and Flora, alerting Rey that now was the moment.

Rey let her eyes drift quickly to Kylo, who was standing now, and took noted to the person named Cosic sitting near him, the one who spoke of killing Kylo himself. As the recognition settled, Rey noticed Kylo's hand fall to the hilt of his saber and he began to move to step forward.

'Now!' Rey yelled to Flora and Kai's minds.

The third time the brought their arms to their hips, they each grasped their daggers, gripping it to influence their aim as they extended their arms quickly in the direction of their target.

Rey took aim at Cosic, her dagger hitting him right in the heart as one of Flora's hit the woman next to him, another Knight of Ren.

Kai threw two daggers towards the biggest men that guarded their table, one that was already prepared to shoot his gun at Flora, and the other, completely mindless to the events that were unfolding.

The theater erupted in screams and yells, mostly drunken orders to fire their guards' weapons.

By this time, Chewie arrived and was already taking his place at the side of the stage, shielding the girls from any oncoming attack by firing his blaster first. Rey looked towards the wookie, who tossed the lightsaber she had him hold on to directly into her hands.

She ignited the sword, purple and white whipping out from the saber as she swung it through the air. Running to the edge, she used the force to bring forward one of Vicar's men to her, slicing him with the weapon as she turned her attention to Vicar.

"Chewie! There!" Rey yelled to him, and Chewie took aim and shot directly at Vicar, piercing the flesh on his shoulder, nearly missing his neck. Rey watched with disgust as Vicar moved to use the girl on his lap as a human shield, only taking half the damage intended.

Off to the side, Rey noticed Flora and Kai took out half of the guards that the First Order traveled with, including some of the Knights of Ren.

Her attention back on Vicar, Rey's gaze never left him as she reached to the back of her belt, taking out her final dagger. With long strides, Rey stalked over to him as random people scurried to get out of the theater, people falling over others and giving no care to step on them as long as they themselves got out.

In the background, she heard her name being called over and over, but refused to pay any mind to them as she had the perfect shot at Vicar, her arm raising with the dagger in line. Just as she was going to let it fly from her hand, someone grabbed her wrist with such strength that she had no choice but to let the dagger fall from her hand as she cried out from pain.

Rey whipped around, her wrist still caught, and her eyes widened as she met Sano's eyes.

"Jedi scum." Was all Rey heard before his closed fist landed on her temple, and her world turned black.

( X )

Author's Note: Yay! A long one (: Hope you guys enjoyed, thank you so much for reading and for the reviews last time, they really mean so much so thank you a billion times over.

The next chapter will more than likely be shorter, but I just wanted to give Rey's point of view on how they got to the theater and such. Hope you guys liked it :D Stay tuned! Things are gonna get even crazier. O_O


	34. Chapter 34

Her head was absolutely throbbing.

The cold concrete floor was helping, however.

With stubborn eyes, Rey slowly opened them, trying to remember what had happened.

Slowly, she sat up and glanced around the dark room, only to realize she was in a prisoner's cell, though she did not know who's ship she was on. Thankfully, Rey saw that she was alone, letting her know that Kai and Flora must have escaped successfully, and Sano must have not gotten to them.

'Ugh... Sano...' Rey thought as she remembered his face before he knocked her out. Though she had this planned out, the one thing that surprised her was seeing his face in the mix of it all.

Scooting back to place her aching bones against the cool bars of the cell, a guard she hadn't noticed spoke up from the entrance up the stairs.

"Hands where I can see them, scum!" He snarled at her, moving his blaster to her direction. Rey glared at him as she crossed her arms over her knees, resting her chin on them.

At the moment, she felt much too weak to bother playing a mind trick on him, and knew the effort would go to waste if she-

"Step aside." A husky voice called out, followed by the sound of heavy boots.

Rey's head whipped back up so fast that her temple began to triple its pounding, not only recognizing the voice, but the angry tone with it.

Kylo Ren approached the guard, his eyes daring any defiance from the trooper, who quickly scurried off to leave the pair alone. Kylo watched him leave, making sure to feel no presence around within earshot.

For a moment, Rey's breathing hitched as she realized this was no force bond, but Ben Solo here in the flesh. Not taking her eyes off of him for a second, she stood up on shaky legs, admittedly intimidated by the cold glare he was giving her as he quickly made his way to her, his cloak swinging behind his large, long legs.

Without any struggle whatsoever, Kylo easily broke the prison door from its lock, swinging it open as he stepped inside, and though he was furious, Rey couldn't help but notice that his eyes glanced over her entire body, from toe to head, his eyes did not miss a single piece of her exposed flesh that was still peeking out from her costume..

All Rey could do was watch with wide eyes, not needing to channel the force to feel the anger that was rolling off of him.

"Well?" he demanded.

Rey blinked, unsure what to say or where to start. She glanced down and quickly back to him, frozen.

"What in the-" Kylo began as Rey cut him off.

"I had to do something." Rey said, louder than she intended, making Kylo's tone jump higher.

"This?" He roared.

"Yes! You couldn't beat him without starting a war, a bigger war than we already have on our hands-"

"I had some of them on my side, they would have pledged their allegiance to ME-"

"Who? You mean that tall blonde woman and that man named Cosic? They were already plotting your death the moment Vicar was out the way!" Rey yelled, and this statement made Kylo grow quiet as his breathing grew harder, just as the look he was giving her.

Rey quickly felt his mind shove into hers, and she let him this one time, only to let him see the truth.

Once he did, Kylo hissed as his hand balled into a rough fist, turning his body away from Rey so he could steady his anger.

Rey wanted so badly to comfort him, to tell him it was okay, that she had a plan. Yet, she knew right now was not the time. And so, she waited. She let his anger roll away, and the let the tension pass as much as it could before she spoke.

"I couldn't take the chance." she muttered quietly. This time, when Kylo turned to her, he was no longer glaring, though he had a blank look in his eyes.

"Why? If Cosic would have killed me, you could have killed Vicar, and that would be the end of it of any possible stong leader and your rebellion would have a better chance." He said.

Rey blinked several times in shock.

It had never occurred to her to let it play out that way.

To Rey, in the end, her hope still cast itself in Ben Solo returning to the light, and they would defeat all they needed to, together.

In every scenario, he stood by her side.

What else was there?

What else mattered?

The galaxy mattered, the lives of everyone who lived and contributed some sort of peace, mattered.

And for Rey, somehow, of all the beings in the galaxy, **Ben** was her own peace...

"Because..." Rey said, her eyes falling to the ground as he stepped closer. She couldn't help the tears that threatened to slip over, but refused their release.

'Because?' she asked herself.

"Because?" Kylo asked her.

She still had no way of saying the answer.

When Rey looked up, she met his soft gaze, and she saw a glimmer of hope, a sliver of shock in his own eyes. For a moment, the silence that accompanied the pair was enough.

And with no word said, Kylo's brow gently furrowed, his eyes sweeping over Rey's face, the face of a Jedi that risked it all to save him, her own bonded-enemy.

Their paths were meant to intertwine, and their bonds deemed them fated, together.

As if for the first time, this hit Kylo harder than anything he had experienced, harder than any thought he had ever imagined.

This, Rey, he was sure of.

His eyes locked onto hers, and hers onto his as both of their heartbeats quickened, pulsating harder and throbbing in their own ears.

Briefly, his eyes shot down to her parted, pink lips.

His head bent down, moving forward to Rey, who quickly reared back, her eyes wide open with shock as she registered what he was trying to do.

For a second, Kylo's anger teased a comeback as his eyes began to narrow at her.

To Rey, she had never experienced such a thing herself, though she witnessed this type of affection several times back on Jakku. Yes, she believed she and Kylo nearly did do this before... but this time, it felt much more intense.

He was here, and so was she. This was no bond, and with that in mind, the electricity in the air grew, and so did the warm feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She gulped, her lips parting again as her breathing hitched once more.

Rey glanced towards his lips, soft and rough, imagining the taste.

Hesitantly, Rey moved her chin up, needing to step closer to Kylo in hopes of reaching him. When she did, he reared back this time, watching her curiously.

Rey's eyes hardened as Kylo's did, watching and studying one another to foresee their next move.

And together, they moved towards one another, their lips meeting and moving in perfect synchrony.

Every single feeling felt so new, so fresh. Rey couldn't help the small gasp that escaped as her eyes closed, Kylo's warm lips pressing against hers.

He suspected that it may be a new experience for Rey, in fact, the thought excited him even more.

'Mine.' he thought to himself as he deepened the kiss, though when he felt her tongue softly flicker against his bottom lip, neither one of them expected his reaction.

Snaking his arm around her, he pressed her against his long being, and both marveled at how well they fit against one another. Rey felt the hottest blush fill her cheeks and neck as Kylo's breath quickened, their mouths working quick to devour and taste one another.

Kylo's hand slowly crept up from Rey's side, to her arm, and eventually to her neck, softly grasping it, and had it been anyone else, Rey would have reacted defiantly and aggressively against it.

However, this was meant in no way like that.

To Rey, it actually felt good, and the realization shocked her as her hand mindlessly went straight into his hair, raking through it and gripping it gently as she had thought to do so before, and had seen him do such numerous times. Kylo's breathing stopped momentarily, and his lips almost froze.

Rey thought she may have gripped his hair too hard, but when she felt him try to hide a shudder, she felt the pleasure roll off of him in waves, small ripples hitting Rey herself.

Breaking apart, Kylo pressed his forehead against Rey's as the pair tried to steady their breathing.

Rey's eyes opened softly, peaking up at him through her lashes as he did the same.

"I have to go. Vicar will be calling for you soon." Kylo quietly said, swallowing the regret of having to stop what they had begun together.

There was no way possible to deny how good it felt, how good Rey felt. In every corner of the galaxy, in every level of power he had achieved, there was nothing that could come close to how good this was, and that confused Kylo even more.

Rey glanced down, her hand moving to lay gently over the wrist that still lay at her neck. Kylo watched the movement, needing to look away as milky flesh of her neck and chest teased him.

Slowly, reality settled back with the both of them as Kylo moved away, straightening his cloak and running his gloved hand through his hair.

Regretfully, Rey licked at her lips, feeling another blush return as she recalled just seconds ago how Kylo did the same to her.

"I'll be okay." she assured him, meeting his gaze. The hungry eyes he had before was placed with a worrisome, blank stare.

"He's going to challenge you. He'll push you until no end." Kylo replied, a hint of anger and frustration returning to his voice.

With a sure nod, Rey looked Kylo square in the eye and responded. "I was planning on it."

Kylo nodded, glancing away as he turned his ear to the hall. Clenching his jaw, he glanced to Rey once more before turning on his heel and leaving the cell, replacing the broken door back onto the latch.

Through the bars, he watched Rey with a steady and hard gaze.

Down the hall, several footsteps approached that belonged to two guardsmen who hesitantly glanced from Kylo to Rey.

"Uh-hm. Master Ren? Master Vicar is requesting your presence." One of the men called out to Kylo.

With a single nod that only Rey could see, Kylo turned and left with one of the guards, the other stayed with Rey.

Sighing, Rey slid back to the floor and into the position she was in previously, her arms hanging over her knees.

This time though, her headache was gone, and with her lips still warm, she smiled.

( X )

Author's Notes:

OMG …... OMG!


	35. Chapter 35

Two hours later, Kylo Ren found himself in the company of Vicar, Paz, Hux, Makeem, and 4 of Vicar's strongest guardsmen.

It irritated Kylo beyond thought knowing that Rey was being held captive, and that she was not in his sight. The oncoming events made his annoyance grow, ready to get the day over with.

"That scum is mad." Vicar hissed, rolling his arm around, trying to get any feeling back in it.

They all sat onboard Vicar's ship, still docked at Cinnon'Ra, the large conference room reminded Kylo almost too much of Snoke's throne room, though this one was silver and dark blue, and the group's throne-like chairs were all aligned in formation on the top level, overseeing all that went on in the room.

From the middle, Vicar cursed loudly as a medical droid attempted to stitch his wound close, the large cut still bleeding from his shoulder. Without hesitation, Vicar grabbed the droid by its neck and threw it over the edge of their platform, a few seconds later, random bits and screws flew everywhere as it clashed to the ground, immediately breaking the bot.

"She will pay. I say we feed her to the ithorian sharks." Paz called from the far end.

Kylo's fist clenched even harder, glaring at the wall across the room. It took all he had not to rip the woman to shreds. After Rey told Kylo of Paz's plan to murder him once Vicar was handled, his anger grew, especially when she spoke.

"No. Too quick." Vicar huffed, snarling at the thought of the young Jedi scum he was going to deal with.

Next to Kylo, Makeem shifted in his seat, a small smirk playing on his face. "Not too quick for me, though."

At this, Vicar grunted, nearly laughing. The boy's cockiness always amused him.

The group grew silent, only for a moment, but in the silence is when Vicar noticed something.

"Kylo, you're quiet." Vicar stated, turning to eye him as he wordlessly demanded an explanation.

Kylo slowly blinked, his only way of avoiding the instinct to roll his eyes. "This girl is the one who killed our previous Supreme Leader. Caution is advised." He replied, eyes focusing on the wall again, bored and agitated.

The last bit of the statement was true.

Kylo knew this for a fact.

Rey was not in control of her powers, or of the force. She was a wildcard, and unpredictable. Hell, the events of today proved exactly that.

"You're saying she has more tricks up her sleeve? Ha! Wait until she sees mine." Vicar scoffed at Kylo, and from the corner of his eye, he watched as Vicar turned to give a single nod to General Hux, who was standing behind both him and Kylo. Hux gave him a sadistic smile, returning the nod.

In that instant, Kylo knew it to be true.

Hux and Vicar were working together, on what, he was not sure.

Kylo's blood grew hot, stinging from the inside out as his anger boiled. He would not be able to push into Vicar's mind. He knew Vicar was much too strong for that, and Hux was bold enough to continue his own block, finding ways to think of anything else but what Kylo wanted.

In a moment like this, Kylo cursed Snoke for the constant abuse he gave to Hux, unknowingly building Hux's strength against force users.

Kylo cursed himself as well, having not seen what was truly happening.

Angry, bored, and overall humiliated from having to waste his time with these games, Kylo turned to Vicar, prepared to end it all, easily.

One force choke, one stab from his lightsaber, and the child would be gone.

The only thing that stopped his hand, mid raise, was Vicar calling out to the tall, wide man that stood behind him, his wardrobe similar to Vicar's stylish one.

"Bring the rat. I'm ready." he sneered, clenching his fist and bringing to his chin.

Foolishly, Kylo was reminded that she was here. That Rey was here.

The resemblance of this moment compared to Snoke's throne room left a bad taste in his mouth, as he was in the same position, a spectator for the mind games that was about to occur.

"And Sano?" Vicar called out to the man. Kylo's eyes drifted toward him, eyeing the one Vicar was talking to. There was something about the name that seemed to set off some warning in the back of Kylo's mind, though right now, he wasn't able to place the familiarity. "Bring the device." Vicar said, smirking.

Kylo's brow twitched as his mind raced.

How could he watch this take place? In fact, he wasn't even sure what was going to be taking place. He wasn't sure of anything, for the first time in his life, he questioned himself. He questioned absolutely everything. Was the way he felt about Rey enough to disrupt the process of the new order? How did he even feel about R-

As if on cue, the one named Sano entered the lower level of the room, his tight grip already bruising the arm of Rey, who was in handcuffs.

Kylo took a quick second to glance over her, taking note of every cut and bruise. Every guard and member of the Knights leaned forward, their faces pointed down to get a good look at the one who attempted to kill them.

Rey yanked her arm out from Sano's grip, huffing at him as she spared him her glare, and instead giving the cold look to the ones above her, who were all staring down at her with annoyed curiosity.

"Filth." Paz said under her breath, tossing the remaining contents of her drink down at Rey's feet.

Rey glanced down to the spilled drink and back to Paz, a smirk teasing her face.

Something about the unrelenting and uncaring look made Paz sit back in her seat.

The room sat silent for a long minute, everyone staring down at the small, young woman who caused so much havoc just hours before.

Rey, however, never took her eyes off of Vicar.

Gently, Kylo attempted a push into her mind, only to be greeted by pure static, a block bigger than she had mustered up before, so much so that he was not able to pick up on any emotion she felt whatsoever.

It angered him, yet also concerned him.

"Well," Vicar began, licking at his lips. "Who sent you?"

Rey scoffed, glancing to the floor to hide a dimpled smile before looking at him once more.

Not needing the force to see, Kylo felt Vicar's confidence waiver, just slightly.

"Something funny?" He demanded, leaning forward in his seat, his own hand gripping his knee to keep from lashing out.

Rey shrugged, her face bored. "Just thought you'd come up with something better."

Vicar's eyes narrowed, jaw clenching. "Yes, and I expected more of you. Managing to sneak into a crime filled city, undetected, just to throw stars at your enemy?" Vicar roared with laughter. "You Jedi are losing your touch."

From his chair, Kylo noticed Rey's jaw tense before she replied.

"Well, it's all part of the plan." Rey said, amused.

The response got everyone's attention.

Paz leaned over to whisper something into Vicar's ear, who was only half listening. Hux looked form his left to his right to ensure his guards were on standby, and Makeem could do nothing but grin admiringly down at the girl.

For a moment, Kylo felt a sense of pride. Rey's confidence filled every corner of the room, and it was thrilling to witness, knowing that this was close to the power he had seen her wield in the vision when they had touched hands.

Excitement and anticipation floated aimlessly through the air, accompanying the silence as Vicar glared down at the girl for a moment.

"Plan? I doubt it." Vicar sneered.

Rey smirked.

"We'll see." was all she said. Vicar's glare turned black and cold as he wordlessly nodded to Sano as he spoke.

"Well, I always believed the best way to beat a Jedi, is to disorient and weaken them first."

Quickly, Rey braced herself as best she could, her hands still cuffed in front of her. From her side, Sano knocked her out once again with the end of some odd shaped blaster.

That was the last thing Rey saw before she fell to the ground, unconscious.

( X )

It was only minutes later.

Kylo watched as Rey lay on the ground, a small amount of blood trickling down the side of her temple.

This was what he was dreading.

The games.

"Now." Vicar called down to Sano.

Kylo watched the events unfold before him, anger boiling and stinging in every inch of his body.

Sano leaned down and grabbed Rey's arm again, his finger noticeably and purposefully digging into her flesh as he held the taser to her ribcage and zapped her awake. Rey cried out as she came to, her teeth clenched as her body shook.

Kylo quickly jumped on the opportunity and felt out the presence she held in the force, still unable to see her mind, though he did feel how exhausted she felt, and the instant pain that coursed through her.

Unbelievably, Kylo watched again as Sano repeated the same process, knocking her out, and electrocuting her awake.

Her bones were shaking, her skin felt as though she was being pricked a thousand times over by needles, and her head was throbbing so, so much.

By the third time, Rey struggled to simply open her eyes, her ribcage too sore to help her get up. The only way she got onto her wobbly feet was by Sano pulling her up by her arm, and she guess he was digging his fingers into her flesh again, but she was too numb to be sure.

After a moment, Rey caught her breath, spitting out the blood that filled her mouth from clenching her teeth so hard.

Vicar aimed to disorient and weaken her, and shamefully, she wordlessly admitted he won.

He roared with laughter, everyone around him joined in, all except for Kylo, who stared down at her, unmoving with his face and eyes blank.

"My, my. That was fun." Vicar said, smirking. Rey watched the floor, her head almost too heavy to look up towards them.

"Now, let's begin, shall we?" He called to her. Rey gulped, knowing that this was nothing compared to what he truly had in store.

It was okay...truly...it had to be. All she needed to do here was hold out and buy time.

She was the only one who would be able to.

People were counting on her.

Rey kept reminding herself of this fact, her surroundings slowly coming back into her line of sight. She was fully conscious now, aware of Sano as he quickly left her, and only a moment later, joined the rest of them on the high platform.

'Remember your training...'

Rey's head whipped up.

The voice...

She heard the voice early on the Falcon, and now, she was hearing it again.

Kylo's eyes slightly narrowed at her, and he discreetly glanced around to see what caught her attention, failing to see anything.

He was aware she was regaining her composure, her consciousness slowly creeping back, andit was faster than Vicar was expecting.

Setting his gaze back to Rey, he noticed how still she grew, obviously searching for something through the force, one step behind Kylo, who was already doing such and still coming across nothing.

From behind the main entrance, boots shuffled around, the sound of swords and chains clinking against one another. The Knights all looked towards Vicar, who was still staring down at Rey, a smug smile plastered to his face now.

"The entertainment has arrived." He said, never blinking.

The doors flew open, and in came one hundred guardsmen that belonged to Vicar, handpicked for an occasion like this. Each gathered themselves into a formation that circled Rey, their weapons all raised and ready for battle. Sharp edges and points were feet away from her, yet she still stood there as if nothing was happening, her face concerned with what she heard. Her eyes stayed to the ground, her ear practically perked.

Kylo wanted to shout at her, to get her focus steady, to warn her.

Instead, he finally leaned forward just like the others, trying to shove his way into her mind, threatening the static he kept being defeated by.

His jaw clenched, and brows knitted together in anger as his nostrils flared.

Why wasn't she paying attention?!

And that's when he felt it.

( X )

She could hear the men climbing into the room, she could hear the scuffs of their boots hitting the floor, and she could hear the sharp sounds of their swords and staffs as they pointed them all to her.

But, she couldn't hear anything else.

Where was it...

The voice...

The voice...

Rey closed her eyes, quickly tuning into the force as if it were a simple button she had pushed so many times. It was easy, it was instinctual.

She felt the grey, and the cold wispy air.

The dust particles that drifted invisibly through the atmosphere seemed to stand still, frozen in time just as she was floating amongst stars and clouds, stuck in a corner of space and time.

"There you are."

Her eyes shot open, and she realized she was back on the island she had imagined so many times in her life.

Green grass filled every piece of land she could see, tall trees hiding her from the sun. White, purple and blue flowers sprung from the green. There was color... everywhere.

Rey couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face, and she noticed in the back of her mind that her face no longer hurt.

Glancing down, she saw she was in her normal white and beige wear, her bandages on her arms taking their rightful place.

Again, Rey smiled, feeling as though it had been ages since she felt like this, like herself.

Turning around, she saw a man leaning against a tree, turned to her direction but not looking directly at her. Timidly, she stepped closer, glancing around to see if this was like her other dreams, or if Anakin or Obi Wan were around, though she came to the realization that they were alone here.

Closer now, Rey noticed his eyes were a light blue color, reminding her of crystals almost. In this galaxy, she had never come across such a color on a human before, and sheepishly, she wondered if that was a normal eye color.

"It is not, but then again, I am blind. Who knows for sure." He said, reading her mind.

Rey's brow raised, intrigued.

"Blind?" She asked cautiously, studying his face.

He chuckled. "Yes, that is so. My name is Chirrut Imwe. And you..." He trailed off, looking past Rey now.

"I'm Rey." she said, smiling.

Again, he chuckled. "No. You are lost."

Her smile faded, and she blinked several times at him. She was on the island she had created, how was it that she was lost now?

"It's not that simple. You have no place to go, and so, you are here. You are here, in nowhere."

Rey looked at him, dumbfounded. Glancing away, she tried to make sense of what he was saying, coming up with nothing in the end, and growing irritated by the silence.

"What do you mean?" she asked finally, frustrated.

"Though this is a nice place, I imagine, this island is of your own creation. You didn't aim to come here, you just wound up here. Hence, being lost." He smiled.

Rey flinched, a deep and honest feeling made her want to get angry, but around him, it felt impossible... The wave Chirrut gave off made it impossible.

"Okay... So, what do I do now?" She hesitantly asked.

Stepping closer, Chirrut's tone lowered as he spoke with a soft smile. "Take me somewhere you know."

Rey looked at him quizzingly, wondering why she was taking orders from a stranger. Though she couldn't deny that he felt like an old friend, a confidant. Something in her gut made her trust him, easily.

Glancing away again, Rey thought of all the places she knew, and only one seemed to offer any type of comfort. Closing her eyes, she focused on the green that was there, the sound of the waves clashing in the background, and the sound of chirping Porgs in the distance.

"Ahh, this is more like it." Chirrut echoed.

Rey's eyes opened, gasping as she realized she now stood in the cave on Ach-To, the place she had met Luke Skywalker and began to train under his guidance. Looking around, Rey couldn't help the overwhelming sadness that loomed over her, remembering.

"Do not fret." Chirrut said.

Turning, Rey stood within a foot from him.

Blinking a tear away, she spoke. "Who are you? Are you a Jedi?" she whispered.

A sad smile played on his lips, seemingly never being affected by any negativity. "No, just lucky."

"So, you're here to help me?" she asked, disappointment kicking in.

"No." he replied, smiling again.

Frustrated, Rey walked around the cave, wishing that her force powers were stronger, that she were smarter. Her back to him as she paced, her annoyance got the better of her.

"Then what?! You are obviously here for a reason! I have to get back to Ben, I have to defeat Vicar."

Chirrut let out a loud laugh. "Obi did say you were impatient."

"Why are you here?!" She asked through clenched teeth, finally turning back to him, jumping as she came face to face with him.

He quickly grabbed her hand, facing her palm up. "I am here to give you your last lesson." He replied, smiling.

Chirrut Imwe lifted his own palm and placed it over hers, just as Rey noticed the same foreign symbols from her Jedi text books, the same ones she had been struggling for months to figure out, the same ones that no one was able to recognize, not even Ben Solo.

The moment his palm touched hers, the last words he spoke, remained with her forever, and her world went white.

( X )

Kylo felt the same shake in his core, and he knew right then what that meant.

There was an awakening in the force.

Whatever happened, she grew stronger... undeniably stronger.

His eyes locked on her, he watched in only a few seconds as her eyes went blank, seeing that she was in a very different world than the rest of the people in the room.

Every member on the platform leaned forward even more, on the edge of their seats as they watched Rey grow still, and in seconds, her eyes fell to the ground, hidden beneath her lashes. In the next moment, her head moved up, her eyes meeting Vicar's.

Kylo watched, absolutely intrigued with everyone else, as her eye color went from a light crystal blue, back to her dark hazel. Her breath caught up to her, as if she had been holding it for minutes, and the next words she spoke, rocked the room with not only confidence, but power.

"I am one with the force... and the force is with me."

Rey blinked, as if stepping back into the shoes that is Rey, having been taken over by someone else completely. And now, here she stood.

Looking to her left, she glanced to every guardsman, and then to her right, her eyes fell on every weapon they gripped.

Vicar nodded, fully out of his trance that he was sucked into.

With that, the guards charged.

And with that, Rey fought.

( X )


	36. Chapter 36

One hundred guardsmen circled her, inching closer after their attempt to charge her failed, the men stopping in their tracks the second her attention landed on them.

Rey turned to each one, gauging who would attack first.

Behind her, she heard boots shuffling as one of them ran to her, a spear in his hands, raised above his head. Instead of watching him, she eyed his weapon the moment she turned, quickly taking a step back as he swung towards her, missing.

With her attention elsewhere, another guardsmen with a large axe stepped forward.

Hands still cuffed at her front, Rey took another step back, missing the swing from the axe just barely. She watched as both guardsmen pulled their weapons free from the ground, leaving large gashes in the floor as they marched to her again, everyone else simply watching. The rest of the guards moved aside, eager for the outcome.

The one with the spear moved to stab her, his whole body stepping into the push just as Rey grabbed the neck of the spear, yanking him towards her as she extended her foot outwards, tripping the man and causing him to turn his back to her, which Rey then grasped the opportunity and hugged his back, turning them both so that the guard took the full force of the axe when the other guard swung again.

Rey huffed as the impact shook the breath out of her, shoving the now dead guard away from her and grasping the spear he left behind.

From the platform, she heard the young man next to Kylo chuckle.

Her eyes on the other guard, they circled one another, anticipating the others first move.

Just then, another guard had snuck up behind her, trapping her back to his chest and making her lose the grip she had on the spear, hearing it fall to the ground. In her front, the other guard raised his axe, and making sure to time it right, Rey jutted her right hip back, her leg extending behind them both, and tossed the man to her front, taking the full blow of the axe as his last breath gave out.

Turning, she eyed each guard again, this time every single one felt a surge of doubt run through them, she forced that emotion through every nerve they had. Having to regrip each of their weapons, they shuffled around.

When Rey moved towards them, they took a step back.

From the platform, Vicar shot up from his throne. "She is cuffed! Kill her! NOW!" he yelled, his voice bouncing from every wall.

The guardsmen looked up to their master, each giving a simple nod of compliance, just as they were trained.

Moving their attention back to Rey, several of them charged again.

Rey waited, and just before the closest got to her, she channeled the force and call the spear to her hand, flipping it and moved it out just in time for the guard to run straight into the point, killing him.

Behind her, another moved upon her just as one was running up to her front. Quickly, Rey shot her elbow out behind her, knocking the man to the ground and shifted to her side, dodging the blade of a guardsmen in front of her.

Rey stepped out behind him and swiftly placed her back to his own, shooting her cuffed arms above her and over his head, grunting as she used all her power to squeeze the life out of him using the chains from her cuffs. She felt him struggle against her back, and abruptly stop as his body went limp.

Shrugging him away, Rey stepped aside, dodging another attack.

It felt like days passed as she fought like this, her energy depleting with every hit and attack she delivered, and then her energy coming right back as she successfully killed another guard. In the back of her mind, she found it almost thrilling, this tug and pull that she felt coursing inside of her.

It reminded her of the training Luke gave her, and the training she gave to Kai and Flora. Everything was raw, only this time, she was able to go full force, not holding back in any punch or kick, any stab or shot.

By now, still cuffed, she had gotten rid of half the men that belonged to Vicar.

Through the atmosphere that surrounded her, she could feel the disdain and embarrassment rolling off of Vicar, and his eagerness for her own death almost satisfied her.

Aside from him, she could feel Ben's pride.

That shocked her so much that she was nearly impaled by one of the guards' spear, this spear however, was longer on this one, and though she side stepped the full impact, it did cut her across the same scar Sano gave her from the blaster months before.

Rey screamed in pain, stumbling as her cuffed hands went to try to stop the bleeding.

Oddly, the room seemed to freeze, even the guards as they watched damage finally be inflicted on their enemy.

Deeply inhaling, Rey tried to push the pain aside, regaining her composure. The group of guards regripped their weapons, and moved towards her again.

Rey quickly turned her back to them, running at full speed to the side of the platform and letting the guards chase her as she jumped high, extending her arms above her to catch onto the pipe railing that outlined the platform.

Swinging her legs up, she used the momentum to turn midair, catching herself on the railing again, this time facing the guards as they stumbled into one another at an abrupt stop. Rey's legs kicked the first guard on the side of the cheek, knocking him back so hard that he impaled himself on the spear behind him.

With another swing forward, she hooked her legs around another guard's neck, giving a quick yank, his neck broke, his body falling to the floor.

Rey let herself fall to her feet, eyeing the next guard that came to her.

Another axe.

Frustrated with her hands still cuffed, she watched as the guard swung and swung, backing up more and more as she gauged the timing once more.

He swung his axe up...

The blade gleamed...

Rey prepared herself...

Just as Kai and Flora taught her...

Time seemed to slow for her, as if the force's energy granted her a wish this time, it all fell together perfectly.

Rey bent backwards, falling back onto her hands as she did a backflip, her arms extended out just the right amount of space for the blade to miss her face as she landed on her feet, however the blade scraped against her wrist.

She winced, but looked down, and back to the guard.

For a moment, they both stilled.

Her cuffs were broken, her hands free.

Standing, Rey extended her arm, her palm facing out as she called the force to her side, becoming one with it as she felt an easy wave of balance rest upon her shoulders. Pushing out, the built-up energy she expelled ricocheted off of the group of guards, at least twenty of them flew back against the walls, knocking them out instantly.

Her breathing heavy, Rey let her chest rise and fall as she regained her focus.

It was so much easier now that she was uncuffed. Her movement freed her, and she didn't have to worry about using the force and blocking another attack. It was all so frustrating and exhausting.

However, now...

Now, the remaining men seemed to be largest of the group.

They all gathered together, and seemingly, behind the biggest one.

Rey eyed him, and he smirked at her.

The guard pulled a weapon from his back, a long, heavy chain with a bladed sphere at the end.

Adjusting her jaw, Rey glared at him, ready.

The guard scoffed, distracting Rey as he swung the chain to her, the sphere whipping from the side and wrapping and locking around Rey's neck.

Rey moved with the ball, curling towards the guard instead of away from him, and to everyone's amazement, she successfully unrolled from the chain, her hand gripping the end as she pulled the slack of the chain, and whipped the ball to him, the blade burying deep into his temple.

Rey looked away from the ugly site, and spotted a staff.

Using the force, she called it to her grasp, looking down at it in awe.

For a second, it felt like home to her.

Out of breath, she felt a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth before she set her black gaze onto the men in front of her.

Again, they charged. All of them trying to attack her at the same time, all from different angels, some high and some low. She blocked and moved, dodging whatever they threw at her. Her aching body refused to give out, though the deep cut that lay at her scar was still bleeding heavily.

She didn't let it stop her.

At the last two men, she broke the staff on her knee, splitting the weapon into two before she charged at them this time.

The site of this was the last thing they saw.

( X )

She did it.

It was painful and shocking to watch...

But, she did it.

Kylo slowly sat back against his chair, his eyes never leaving Rey, even though her back was turned to them. Whatever happened prior to the fight, he knew it made her stronger.

She was breathless, covered in sweat and drenched in blood, her costume in pieces on her body, though never revealing too much.

Kylo couldn't help but marvel at the site of her like this.

A warrior.

Beside him, Vicar was seething as he glared down at the girl. The bumps, cuts, and bruises were the absolute last thing he wanted to inflict on her. He wanted her dead, limbs shredded, absolute destruction... he wanted her to beg for her life, and here she was, in the middle of his own throne room, surrounded by one hundred dead guards, Vicar cursed at her.

"... Vile scum!" he continued.

Rey slowly turned, and Kylo tried to enter her mind to try to see what she was feeling, what she was thinking.

Not surprisingly, her thoughts were still blocked off.

Yet, he felt how exhausted and beaten she felt. He could sense how she was trying to push off her wounds, to try to ignore her pain as if it was nothing at all.

His eyes drifted down her body towards the cut, seeing that her dark blood was still spilling out.

Kylo gulped.

Rey's eyes met Vicar's, eyebrows raised.

The pain that soared through Rey's small body, was quickly turning into anger, a mix Kylo himself knew all too well.

"You..." she struggled to catch her breath. "You call that begging?" Rey tempted.

Vicar's glare turned ice cold, his face stone like as he turned to Sano, who stood still in the corner of the platform.

"Bring the Giant Three."

Sano nodded and ran to do as he was told, Rey's eyes following him.

Weak, Rey called out through the force to try and find Kai, though she wasn't answering. Rey's anxiety worsened, her anger boiling already.

'Flora, where are you...?'

Nothing.

'Flora!'

Again, nothing.

Rey's eyes flickered over to Kylo, meeting his gaze. For a moment, she wondered if he would be able to hear her, and she considered letting him in, even just for a second.

He gave a single, soft nod, so light that no one but Rey would be able to catch it.

Timidly, she opened her min-

'REY, RUN!'

Flora's voice filled her mind, and Rey whipped around to the direction of Flora's energy, and just as fast, her energy was gone. Rey's eyes widened at the shockingly scared tone that Flora had, and tried to reach out to her again.

'Flora? Flora! What's happened? FLORA!'

Nothing.

Silence.

The next sound that filled Rey's ears were the loud stomps that were approaching the main entrance, the walls shaking with every step.

Turning, Rey's widened as she watched three giants bend and shift their way inside Vicar's throne room, Sano nowhere to be seen.

( X )

Author's notes:

Thank you all so much for the reviews! I seriously love them so much, I read them several times over and over. It motivates me to no end 3

The next chapter will be a big one. Keep on holdin' on! :D


	37. Chapter 37

The giants surround Rey, the sight of her completely lost behind one of their legs.

Kylo felt her panic pushing through the exhaustion. She extends a palm, trying to muster up enough energy to push them back, however her exhaustion got the better of her. Her feet skid across the floor so much that her knee cracked from the tension, causing her to cry out in pain.

Kylo hid a wince, feeling the pain she felt through their connection, and readjusted himself in his seat.

One of the giants moved to her, yanking her arm up in his huge, slow hand. Another giant stepped forward to them, and stepped on her ankle, instantly breaking it.

Rey screamed, the pressure causing her wound to bleed more.

Everything throbbed, everything hurt.

The giant that held her up by her arm forced her to her knees, holding down one side as the other giant held her down by her other arm.

Struggling to catch her breath, she looked up at Vicar, sweat, blood, and tears rolling down her face and mingling with each other. She glared, her hardest, coldest stare.

Vicar smirked, and nodded towards the giant in the back.

"Do it." he said.

The third giant approached Rey from behind, taking out a small, triangular device. Pushing a button, the device opened, three long, wide shards extending out.

Kylo watched in shock as the giant slapped it against Rey's back, the edges implanting deep within her, the points scraping against her bones.

Rey bucked, screaming out once more.

For a moment, Kylo could only register the pain that shot through them, a breathtaking, intense pain. He could feel how hard it was for her to move, how painful it was just to inhale.

Sweat began to bead across Kylo's forehead as he realized what was happening, just as Vicar stood to speak, grinning.

"And look it here, my fellow knights. Thanks to the wonderful and surprising work of General Armitage Hux, I present to you, the Defiancer!" Vicar gloated. His gaze went back to Rey, who was still glaring as her body shook, struggling to breathe.

"This device captures the energy of a force user, sucks it right out and shows us what we want!" Vicar continued.

As if on cue, Rey's face went red, her blood boiling as her back arched, and her mouth opened wide to gasp for air.

Just then, a white and gold orb floated up from within her, slowly moving forward and pausing midair.

Paz, Makeem, Vicar, and Hux all watched intently.

Kylo, however, grew anxious, his stomach tightening.

He felt that within this orb, was a huge chunk that is Rey herself, that is the light she is.

Anger dug deep into his gut, angry with himself for not being able to stop this, for not being able to see this happening. It took all he had not to kill Hux right then.

"What is that?" Paz asked, her eyes wide on Rey.

"That," Vicar began, pacing as his eyes glued to Rey. "Is the most anxious part of her being. It's what drives her. This device picks up on her highest point of energy, and it analyzes what part spikes the most."

Silence.

"So... it's her..." Makeem stuttered, confused and intrigued.

Vicar nodded as Kylo's gut twisted, having already known the answer.

"It's her greatest fears." Vicar finished.

Everyone stood, walking to the edge of the platform to see what happened next.

Hux made his way to the far end of the line, staying well away from Kylo Ren.

Kylo stayed sitting, his anger becoming uncontrollable, and the pain shooting through him from his connection with Rey was almost unbearable.

There would be no way to escape with his or Rey's life if he struck now.

Silently, he cursed himself, teeth clenching painfully tight.

( X )

She couldn't focus on what hurt more.

Her ankle was broken.

Her spine made it nearly impossible to breathe.

The cut still bled, draining her energy more than her blood, it seemed.

She couldn't pinpoint a body part that wasn't bruised.

For a brief moment, Rey wondered if this is what dying felt like.

( X )

The orb slowly turned, the white and gold colors mixing with one another to create a beautiful shimmer that glistened from the light above.

Rey watched it, along with everyone else.

Fear and anxiety shot through her, covering the excruciating pain that tore through her muscles and flesh.

Her eyes still on the orb, widening at Vicar's comment, she understood now.

Whatever they had created, it was meant to tear her down, from the inside, out.

The room watched as the orb grew, cells seemed to detach from it, floating around one another as they multiplied, copying off the other until they formed the outline of a human being.

Shocked and scared, Rey's eyes widened as tears sprung free.

The cells seemed to form a hologram of this person, fitting together until it was complete... until it was real.

In front of her stood a small child, a girl with sun kissed skin and light brown hair, her face covered in light freckles. The girl turned to Rey, tears streaming down her face.

"You couldn't save me!" the girl cried. "You couldn't save anyone!"

Rey's tears burned her cheeks as she realized this girl, was herself.

Kylo watched, his face blank as his breathing froze.

The girl sobbed, turning her back to Rey as the cells drifted from her, and formed two larger people, their backs turned to Rey.

A woman with the same light brown hair, and a man with shaggy dark hair, dressed in green and beige cloaks.

The back of Rey's mind knew it was them...

She just knew it...

"Please..." Rey said breathlessly, her chest aching to get the word out.

"You couldn't save anyone!" the girl's voice returned in the background.

Rey begged for just a glimpse of them...just a small look...anything...

The cells denied her, refusing the glimpse of her parents that she silently begged and wished for.

Rey couldn't help the sob that escaped from deep within her.

The cells moved again, this time forming into the man that helped her escape the life she once knew. Behind him, stood her friends.

From the platform, Kylo Ren turned his head away.

Han Solo stood before her, with Finn, Flora, Kai and Poe behind him.

Rey's breath caught as she looked up into their faces, any trace of the smile she knew so well, gone. They looked down at her with anger, with disappointment.

"I trusted you, kid... We all did." Han told her.

Rey's heart twisted, shaking her head, she tried to stop it all. "No, please...I... I tried..." she cried.

Finn and Poe shook their head, turning away as the cells form into the beings of Luke and Leia.

Luke stepped forward, as Leia stood in her place, her eyes meeting Rey's before they sadly drifted away to Flora and Kai, who held each other as they cried, refusing to look at Rey.

Luke stood within inches from Rey now, towering over her broken body.

"They said you were the savior..." he said with disgust. "You couldn't save us. You couldn't even save yourself."

Rey's stomach turned, another sob creeping out from her chest as she cried.

She couldn't look at them anymore...

She couldn't see the disappointment in their eyes any longer...

Their presence, in this form, was too heartbreaking.

Rey's head hung low as her tears dropped to the floor, her arms numb as the giant's hands still gripped them, holding her up.

Her heart was so heavy, she would have bet stars amongst stars that it hurt more than her skin and bones. This was her fear. Letting the ones she loved down, losing the people she loved and not winning in their favor, in their memory.

She was only a girl, left in the middle of nowhere on a hot planet.

She was a nobody... a nobody that so many people counted on.

Just then, her heard still hung low as tears spilled down her face, she heard the boots hit the floor.

That familiar sound.

Her breath shook as she felt her heart twist more.

"Please..." she sobbed, begging for the torment to stop.

Rey felt him only an inch in front of her.

She couldn't... she couldn't...

Above her, she heard the gasps and shifts as everyone looked on, stunned at the sight.

She felt a gloved finger slip beneath her chin, pulling her head up as her eyes shut, knowing exactly who it was.

His thumb stroked her jaw, just soft enough to make her eyes slowly drift open, wondering if this was real, though she knew in this nightmare, it wasn't.

Her head shook side to side as she met his blank, almost sad eyes.

Rey's gaze met Kylo's, the new being that the cells took shape of.

His eyes drifted to her lips, and slowly back to her eyes as his hand fell back to his side.

"You couldn't even save me." he muttered.

Whispers and shuffles filled the platform, and the real Kylo took in the sight of what unfolded before him. He had never felt more confused and sick in his life. He needed this to be over, he needed an opening to stop this.

He tried to wake Rey up from the trance she was in, calling out to her mind, but found that she was too enveloped in the visions that played in front of her. She was too weak, too captured...

The cells formed back into the orb it originated in, before disappearing into thin air.

Rey's head hung low again, soft sobs escaping from her. She was sad, heartbroken. But above that, she was beginning to get angry from the embarrassment that overshadowed her.

From the entrance, Sano re-entered, just as the giant leaned his heavy hand down to Rey, yanking the device out from her spine.

Rey cried out, feeling blood trickle down her backside.

"Ah, there you are. And you brought a present? Ha! Perfect timing." Vicar called out.

Rey's body shook as she struggled to turn to her right, her eyes falling upon Sano, who was gripping the hair ontop of Kai's head.

Rey's eyes widened, blinking away the rest of her tears.

"Kai..." she whispered.

No...

No.

This was not supposed to be happening.

They had enough time...

The Falcon...Chewie... The girls...BB-8...

They had enough time to-

"Found this one down in the bunkers when I went to get the giants." Sano explained, pulling Kai by her hair and forcing her to stand up.

Kai spat in his face, and as he raised his fist in response, Vicar called out.

"Stop. I will let you know when you may strike." He threatened. Glancing around to the knights around him, he spoke again. "That was enjoyable, I'd say."

"Bravo, Vicar. Bravo." Paz said, smirking down at Rey. She turned her head slightly towards Kylo, speaking directly to him. "What say you, Ren? That was a surprise, hmm? The rebel scum is trying to save your soul." Paz roared with laughter, Vicar joining her.

Settling down, Vicar turned to Kylo. "Well, boy? What was that about?" he asked, glaring.

Kylo's fist clenched involuntarily, his eyes on the wall behind Rey. He tried his best to appear bored, though he was steaming.

"Great show." was all he could get out.

Vicar eyed him closely, unsatisfied. Turning his attention to Makeem, he spoke. "Well, we aren't done yet, are we?"

Vicar nodded towards Makeem.

Makeem returned the nod, stepping out and jumping down from the platform.

Rey, still held down by the giants, glared at Makeem as he made his way to Kai, who was trying her best to hold back tears as blood dripped from a cut above her brow.

"Were there others?" Vicar asked Sano.

"They got away. They were all faster than me." Sano hissed.

Vicar glared down at him. "Never admit your own weaknesses! I will not tell you again!" he roared. Paz and Hux looked away.

Sano nodded, embarrassed.

Pacing again, Vicar looped his fingers through his belt as his heavy boots hit the floor.

From the ground, Rey struggled to free herself, any built up energy being expelled as she yanked her arms against the giant's fists.

"Rey..." Kai called for her, a tear slipping from the corner of her eye as Sano's grip moved down to her neck.

Rey's wide eyes locked with Kai, as her breathing grew rougher.

Rey couldn't help it. She was frightened. This was not part of her plan, and she was absolutely terrified.

"Silence, girl!" Vicar hissed to Kai.

Rey's eyes moved to Vicar, her energy completely depleted, unable to even call out to Kai's mind.

A nervous sob escaped.

"Please..." Rey said to Vicar.

Vicar's pacing abruptly froze, his head whipping to Rey as his eyes narrowed.

"That's what you call begging?" he said, repeating the words she spoke earlier. Vicar scoffed, eyeing her with disgust.

Rey turned her eyes to Kai as she struggled more.

"Kai... It'll be okay." Rey breathed.

Vicar laughed from the platform. "Your empty promises are your weakest points, Scum! We all saw that. See, that orb held your weakness, and your nightmares." Vicar sneered, peering down at Rey. "Let's watch as you live one out."

With that, Vicar gave a quick nod to Makeem, who pulled out a long, wide blade from the back of his cloak, stepping towards Kai.

Rey struggled more, moving to shoot up and stand, her broken ankle rolling beneath her as she screamed, so loud that her voice shook the room, shooting straight to the core of every living thing on Vicar's ship.

"KAI!"

"Rey! No- HEL-"

Tears rolled down Rey's face as she screamed, watching in horror as Makeem quickly stabbed Kai's side two times, stopping Kai's plea and struggling instantly.

( X )

The room went into a shocked silence.

Kylo's own heart twisted, in action with Rey's.

The screams were deafening.

He struggled to catch his breath.

( X )

Kai's body fell to the ground, Makeem and Sano stepping away from her as Paz began to laugh and clap from the platform above.

"Well done, sir!" General Hux congratulated.

Rey sobbed as her ears rang.

She couldn't even recognize the raw grunting her own chest made with each cry.

( X )

The Knights of Ren each spoke amongst themselves, comments on what they could do with such a device that Hux made, and the message that would be spread throughout the galaxy with the death of Kai and the capture of Rey, the savior.

Kylo sat still.

The cries and sobs haunted his ears, and for a moment, he felt a prickling sensation in the back of his eyes as he watched Rey grieve.

( X )

Tears stained her face.

Her veins pumped with blood.

Grief and rage replaced any pride and determination she had.

She cursed every single one of them.

They would pay.

Her teeth clenched so hard, her jaw flexed to break the tension.

Blood dripped from around her gums, spilling to the floor as her body shook.

Her arms still held by the giants, her fingertips extended.

… They would pay …

Yes, they would pay.

( X )

 _Thrash_.

…

 _Thrash_.

…

Vicar stopped his conversation with Paz, and Paz's smile slowly drifted away.

Makeem stopped in the middle of cleaning his blade off, as their attention moved to the entrance.

…

 _Thrash_.

…

…

…

 _Thrash_...

Kylo's head whipped to the opposite side of the entrance, along with the rest of the knights.

"What is that?" General Hux asked nervously.

The room was silent.

 _Thrash_...

…

There was something tearing through the walls.

It was getting louder the closer it got...

…

Kylo's gaze drifted back to Rey.

He felt it then, the rage.

The raw rage he was afraid of.

( X )

 _THRASH_...

Makeem gripped his blade handle as Paz and Hux's hands went to their blasters.

Sano looked around the room, walking from the entrance to the opposite of the wall with a confused look that they all shared.

Rey grunted, her body shaking more.

 **THRASH**!

And the room went into action.

( X )

At the last loud sound, the room watched in shock as Rey's lightsaber broke through the final wall, tearing through one of the giant's arms that held her down.

Grasping her weapon, Rey ignited it, the purple light reflecting off of her yellow eyes.

( X )

Author's Notes:

:(

Reviews are loved and appreciated...They also make me update faster :D

This was a heavy chapter. I had to split it up in 2. The next one will more than likely be the last that takes place on Vicar's ship right now. Thank you for reading!


	38. Chapter 38

At the last loud sound, the room watched in shock as Rey's lightsaber broke through the final wall, tearing through one of the giant's arms that held her down.

Grasping her weapon, Rey ignited it, the purple light reflecting off of her yellow eyes.

The giant that previously held her down, was roaring in pain as his hand left Rey and held his mangled arm, freeing her.

Acting quick on the opportunity, a rageful Rey swung the saber behind her, clipping the leg of the giant as she pushed off of her knees, yanking her other arm free as she skids back and delivers another wide swipe with her lightsaber, the giant's leg slicing in half.

Rolling out of the way, she swiftly dodged the hammer fist that the other giant attempted to hit her with, and struck her saber down at his wrist.

Another roar of pain pierced the air.

Doing her best to stand, Rey deeply inhaled as she shut her eyes, focusing on the anger that soared through her veins.

Eyes still shut, she spoke.

"Vicar Ren, a master of machinery." Her eyes flickered open and met his. "The difference between you and I," her breathing hardened. "Is that I do not need any device to feel your biggest fear."

Vicar's eyes widened and shot to Sano, and Sano's head whipped to meet his father's eyes.

With the quickest flick of her wrist, Rey shot her lightsaber out, letting it boomerang across Sano's body, curving to the right and piercing through the last giant before landing right back to her grip.

Vicar yelled, cursing at her as his veins popped, his face glowing red as he watched his son's body fall to the floor.

The room stood still as Rey moved her gaze to Paz.

Through Rey's mind, all that echoed was Paz's laughter when Makeem killed Kai.

In this instant, Rey swore to never think of the laugh again.

Rey's palm faced outward, a slow rumble coursing its way through the ground below them, joining in the yells of Vicar. Kylo shot up from his chair, his mind racing as he felt what was going to happen.

Whips of electricity lapped from her fingertips out to Paz, her body floating in midair as waves and waves of electricity stung and burned her bones. Extending out her other palm, Rey did the same to Makeem, tears running free from the corner of her dark, yellow eyes.

Their screams pierced the air as General Hux cowered in the corner, shutting his eyes tight as he whimpered, knelt behind a chair.

Kylo's breathing stilled, his eyes wide.

He knew this would happen, untamed, raw power has never ended good.

Though, he knew they deserved this.

Even him himself.

With no life left to take from either Paz or Makeem, Rey let her sore arms fall to her side, watching as their bodies feel to the platform, eventually rolling off to the ground.

The rest of the room was too shocked, too scared, to say anything, to even move an inch.

Rey blinked, her jaw tightening as she tried to suppress a sob. Her eyes fell to the floor, slowly drifting until she found her friend.

Tears trickled down her blood-stained cheek as she slowly limped towards her, soft sobs coming to life. As she approached a lifeless Kai, Rey fell to her knees, her eyes shutting as grief struck her deep again.

Rey tried to place her hands on her, as if to wake her up, but anywhere she laid her hands, blood was soaked deep. Her eyes shut tight as her forehead slowly pressed to Kai's, as if she could just transfer her own life to the younger ones.

But nothing worked.

Rey held Kai in her arms, wishing she had strength to bring her back, to go back in time...

Anything.

Anything at all, as long as it resulted in Kai's life being saved.

Yet, just as her nightmare predicted, that didn't happen.

Instead, Rey held on, as tight as she could as she rocked Kai softly.

And then, in the pocket of Kai's disguise, she felt it, right when Vicar spoke from behind her, having jumped from the platform to the ground, towering over Sano's body just a foot away.

"You piece of...you're...YOU'RE SCUM! YOU'RE DEAD! YOUR LIFE IS MINE!" Vicar roared.

Rey refused to turn, instead she looked down at Kai's face, admiring every inch of it with sad, broken eyes.

She felt Vicar right behind her then, grabbing her by the hair and yanking her back, and in the background, she saw Kylo look over to General Hux, reaching down to his own lightsaber to kill the traitor as more of Vicar's men piled into the room.

Rey's eyes fell back to Vicar, her hazel eyes slowly coming back, traces of yellow washing away.

Vicar spat at her feet, his fist raising, a blade shining from his hard grip.

He abruptly froze, his eyes wide, his mouth already cursing her again as he watched Rey's own fist come up, opening to reveal a bomb detonator she had taken from Kai's pocket.

Her eyes on Vicar's, she pushed the button.

( X )

He... He couldn't think...

There was orange...and red...

Everywhere...

Heat burnt his skin, and his eyes struggled to open...

His mind called for her...

Just barely...

But there was no answer...

Only silence...

Just silence...

( X )

Kylo woke with a start.

His eyes darted from the ground to every corner of the room, searching for answers, searching for Hux, searching for Vicar...Searching for Rey.

He found that he was alone, random bits of metal flung around the room, the sound of crackling fire filled his ears, giving company to the ringing in his mind.

He gasped for air, struggling to see through the dark smoke.

Groaning and hissing, he shoved away part of the platform that had fallen onto his leg. What happened?

He wasn't sure.

The last thing he remembered...

He had his eyes set on Hux. The damned little rat. He had the nerve to beg for his life, to apologize. Only moments after, he was cursing Kylo. He remembered grabbing hold of his lightsaber, his thumb hovering over the button to ignite his weapon...

And then...

The explosion...

Gathering himself, Kylo stumbled as he stood, again looking around the torn throne room for any signs of life. The room itself was a mess, the walls torn down and half of it on fire, the ground decorated with bodies here and there. Walking with heavy steps, Kylo made his way to an opening off to the side of a corner, the wall having blown in half, exposing the hot sun outside.

From the corner of his eye, he saw another light shining. Turning, his eyes found the body of Vicar, mangled and bloody, his jeweled arm laying a foot away.

Kylo blinked.

In his mind, he cursed Vicar over and over, until his jaw hurt from the tension.

And then, his mind reminded him.

With Vicar gone, he is the true Supreme Leader now...

A thrill shot through his nerves, a sudden eagerness awakening a forgotten sense of complete power.

This is what they fought so hard for...

… What Rey fought so hard for...

Kylo tuned into his surroundings, and he felt the life of two people.

Immediately, his fist clenched as he glanced around.

One, he felt the anxiety of a nervous Hux escaping on one of Vicar's escape pods.

No doubt, Hux was already on his way to the army of the First Order, his first act to try to control the army to turn against Kylo.

If he left now... he could catch him...

However...

The second thing he felt, was a near lifeless Rey, her energy depleted, her heart giving out...

His mind played a game of tug of war, trying to overcome one another with the decision his gut wanted.

Eventually, his choice was made, and deep down, he knew it always had been...

Cursing, Kylo swiftly waived his hand away, the body of Vicar Ren smashed against the far end of the wall, and with that, Kylo quickly left the ship, following the trail he felt through the force, a call to Rey.

( X )

The sun had never been hotter.

Her skin had never burnt so much.

Her bones were sore and bruised, some even broken and cracked.

In the end, the job was done.

And at what cost?

The life of her friend...

And quite possibly, any light she had left within her.

( X )

Minutes later, he arrived in the middle of forgotten land, trash spread throughout the rocks and sand.

Her presence was beginning to falter, making it difficult for Kylo to find her.

There was nothing out here.

Nothing but the hot sun, gold sand, and a large boulder near a red mountain.

He wondered if maybe the explosion rocked him too hard, if maybe his mind was playing some awful trick on hi-

And then he heard it.

A small, breathless whimper almost lost in the hot wind.

Turning, he slowly approached the boulder, the shadows revealing Rey.

Her lips were dry, her bottom lip split off to the side. Her costume was literally in pieces, and her skin was covered in wounds and debris.

Kylo pushed away the pain he felt from her, their aches almost in synch.

Bending down, he moved his head to the side, trying to see if she was responsive at all, freezing when he saw that she wasn't, her eyes closed as her chest stilled, barely able to breathe.

Looking up at the red, blue sky, he thought of turning back and beating Hux...

It would be so easy...

But, now, it was too late. His choice was made...

Turning his eyes to Rey, he tried his best not hurt her any more as he scooped her into his arms and made his way back to the docks.

( X )

It had been too long.

Much too long.

Too long since he had been here.

A small, forgotten town called Arrowmada, held his tiny hut, a home he made when he escaped away from Snoke every so often. Snoke would send him on jobs here and there, testing his abilities in ways he had never thought possible.

This, was the place where he trained. The hut was surrounded by trees, and miles away, sat a town with quiet foreigners, people who minded their business and never asked questions. It was a place Kylo would never touch, a place he could train and heal, a place he could... a place he could call his own.

Scoffing, Kylo thought it was a childish belief.

He had never been the type to need such a thing, though he never really did have a place to call home.

In the end, he decided, his little hut would suffice.

It had been nearly a decade since he'd been here, probably longer than that.

After mind tricking one of the vendors back on Cinnon'Ra, Kylo took off with a ship, leaving Rey in the med bay as they left.

For hours, Kylo cursed himself as he thought of the events in Cinnon'Ra.

He underestimated her power, and Hux's.

Kylo absolutely hated to admit it, but it was true.

There was so much to think about...

First, their kiss.

He wondered if that had any part on his choice to save Rey and leave Hux to escape back to the First Order.

In the end, Kylo knew it was much more than that.

Rey was a bigger part to this galaxy than any one realized. She had equal parts of both light and dark, high amounts of each and they seemed to be trying to overrule the other within her mind.

Remember the way the dark side overtook her, Kylo felt a tension gather in his neck.

Her eyes...her skin...her power...

It was what he had been trying to contain, and in that, he was wrong.

Taking his gloves off, he hissed as he threw them to the side of the cockpit.

He hated being wrong.

( X )

After arriving at his hut, Kylo left Rey in the med bay as he went to go clear a few things up, dismissing the caretakers he had let stay there while he was gone, and made sure to awaken his home droid, MOX-81.

From the med bay, Rey woke with groggy eyes, shuddering at the pain that shot through her, making her bones hurt even more.

Tears were already welling up as she regained her consciousness.

She had to speak to Flora...she had to let her know...

Struggling to turn to her side, Rey fumbled around to catch her balance, her wrist throbbing as she put her weight on it, causing her to tumble to the floor.

Rey whimpered, biting her lip as she looked around.

She wasn't sure where she was.

The last thing she remembered was holding Kai...

And then finding the detonator...

And Vicar's eyes...

Shutting her eyes, Rey willed the memories away as she crawled to the door, hoping that she wasn't being held captive, and thankfully, she found the door to be unlocked on the unfamiliar ship.

Looking around, Rey realized the ship was rather small than any she had been on before. To her right, she caught glimpse of a comm system, and quickly made her way over to it, her back barely willing to move. She felt the cut on her abdomen reopen with every inch she made towards the comm unit, and once she finally got there, she was out of breath and in more pain than she started with.

Glancing down, her eyes landed on her broken, bruised ankle, and had to quickly look away, shutting her eyes in hopes of dismissing the pain and image together.

Gulping as sweat rolled down her neck, Rey fumbled for the communicator, turning it's switch on and began tuning the ears until she found the secret channel her and Chewie made.

Shaking and trying to hold back tears, she gripped the speaker to her mouth and whispered.

"Light to Falcon."

Rey paused, her eyes shutting as her bottom lip trembled.

Silence.

Silence.

Silence.

"Rey? Rey is that you?" Flora's broken, sad voice begged.

Rey sobbed, the back of her hand flying up to wipe her tears away, cringing at the pain of lifting her arm.

"Flora. You're okay?" Rey asked, blinking the tears down her cheeks.

"Yes, oh stars, yes. I thought... I couldn't hear you... I felt... Rey..." Flora's voice broke into a sob.

Rey's head leaned back against the unit as another sob approached.

"I'm so sorry, Flora. I'm so sorry."

Flora sniffled from the other side, in the background Rey could hear Chewie gurgle a word of comfort, BB-8 following behind him with a sad reply.

"We knew the risks. I just... She was right behind me, Rey. She was right there. She said... she said she found a shortcut, that she was already on the Falcon. She mind tricked me... I didn't realize until it was too late...We had already taken off..." Flora sobbed.

Rey's heart twisted as Flora's broken-hearted tone show daggers through the comm, tearing and eating at whatever was left of Rey.

"Flora... I'm so sorry..." Rey repeated.

Together, the girls cried.

In the end, a galaxy apart, they still had each other.

"Rey... We did it."

For a second, Rey couldn't grasp what Flora said. Her mind still broken and shocked.

Flora continued. "We did it. Leia has it all, we got it to her just in time..." Flora cried.

Rey's tears flowed more than before.

They won the fight.

But in the end, it wasn't worth the loss.

( X )

Walking back to the ship, Kylo was growing exhausted, unsure if it was because of Rey's state or his own. The day lay heavy on his thoughts, unsure of what his own choices meant, unsure of how he felt.

The only thing he knew for sure, was that he needed to help Rey.

Turning the corner, he froze as his eyes fell to Rey, leaning against the comm unit, her eyes shut and body limp.

Again, he timidly approached her, and bent down to pick her up.

( X )

Rey woke with a start, coming face to face a white wall. Glancing around, she realized she was on the floor of a washroom, a large tub off to her side, steam rolling off of the water that sat in it.

She still wasn't sure where she was. Trying to channel the force, Rey gave up the fight as she realized she had no energy and no strength to do so.

"Well, well. Good afternoon, madam." Rey's head whipped around to her other side, spotting a tall droid that reminded her of C-3PO. For a moment, she panicked, looking around to use something for a weapon, though she knew she was only kidding herself.

Just moving alone hurt every inch of her body.

"Oh, my apologies. My name is MOX-81, a faithful servant to my master, Kylo Ren. I have been ordered to draw you a bath. Is there anything else you needed?" the droid asked her happily.

All she could do was stare up at the bot, coming to terms that she was in the company of Ben. She wasn't sure what it meant.

She was safe, at least, she felt like she was.

Her eyes drifted to the floor again as her mind raced.

'Safe...'

There was no way about it.

She blamed herself, and no one else.

She should have been quicker...

Flashes of the events played out in her head, images of herself, overpowered with yellow eyes...

She was afraid of herself, and she let that rage control her.

That same rage, though little at the time, is what drove her to Cinnon'Ra...

If she had been stronger...wiser...

Maybe she could have saved Kai.

In the background of her thoughts, the thoughts she was sunken into, she felt MOX snip at the edges of her torn and bloodied clothes, removing the scraps to help motivate her into the bath.

Instead, she sat there, wordlessly, as grief and shock settled in.

( X )

He paced.

He only paced when he was irritated.

More irritated with himself, more than anything.

He felt like a coward, for letting the events get so far. In the end, here he was, the Supreme Leader with his army lay out against him, letting his... letting Rey... get hurt in the midst...losing someone she cared about...

For him.

His nostrils flared as his jaw tensed.

There wouldn't be any universe where he saw himself as-

"Master Ren?" MOX called from the entrance.

Kylo's head turned to the droid, eager for an update on Rey.

It had been over an hour since he sat Rey down on the washroom floor, calling for MOX to draw her a bath with minted medicine mixed in. He was anxious for her to wake, anxious for her to heal. Though after seeing what bad shape she was in, he doubted that result would happen any time soon.

"Where is she?" Kylo demanded.

The droid wobbled from foot to foot, nervous of his upcoming statement.

"Lady Rey seems to be...Uh-hm... In shock?" MOX replied.

Without another word, Kylo brushed past the bot and entered the hut once more, making his way to the washroom and pausing on the other side of the door.

He tried to focus on what she was feeling, but the energy that once coursed through her, was completely shattered. All he could hear through their connection was mute static, the only noise filling the hut was her jagged breathing.

Licking at his lips and deeply inhaling, he straightened his back and pushed the door open.

Inside, he saw Rey on the floor still, her knees to her chest as her empty eyes looked on.

Her skin was covered in dirt and blood, the bruises and cuts mingling with one another. Her arms were crossed across her scraped knees, her hands visibly shaking.

Kylo's brows knitted together, his eyes landing on her torn clothing in a pile off to the side.

Swallowing, Kylo looked away, wondering if she would do as he said.

"Trust me..." his voice said softly.

Rey's eyes blinked, her head moving slowly towards him. She was hunched over, the cuts in her back making it impossible to sit up.

Her eyes never met his, never even came close to him. Instead, she continued to look on, memories and ghosts filling her mind, haunting her as she sat.

Kylo hesitantly approached her, again, bending down to gather her in his arms. She winced in pain, suppressing a whimper as she turned her face into his chest, her ankle and back shooting hot daggers or pain into her being.

Kylo walked over to the hot bath, gently laying her in it.

Rey grimaced as the hot water touched her skin, enveloping her.

A small part of her was conscious of the fact that not only was she was nude, but Kylo Ren was helping her...

However, this was only a small fact in the back of her mind, compared to everything else that lay heavy on it.

Settled in the bath now, Rey inhaled deeply for the first time since arriving at Cinnon'Ra, the minted water soothing her roughed skin.

Beside her, Kylo looked away, kneeling next to the large tub.

When Rey leaned forward, he caught glimpse of the three cuts in the middle of her back, deep and jagged flesh torn up from the device Vicar had used on her.

Kylo worried that it would never heal, not here...

Not like this...

He had seen her in a similar situation...

And he was able to save her then.

He wondered, if he would be able to do the same now.

His jaw flexed, as if in defiance with what his mind was thinking.

However, his gut knew it was too late now. She had sacrificed so much...

If all he had to do was muster of some light...

He was sure he could do it.

Slowly, timidly, Kylo lifted his hand, and moved it to her back, causing her to freeze. He could feel her wince, just the weight of his hand causing her pain.

Shutting his eyes, he focused on her...

He let himself open up, just slightly...

He thought of the moment they shared in the cell... and thought of how proud he was with how fiercely she fought...

In the end, every thought was about her.

In the end, she was his light.

( X )

Another hour later, Kylo stood outside of the hut, watching the dark sky for any sign of light. The last thing he wanted was for both he and Rey to be found here. So, with a close eye and quiet ear, he observed.

Part of him felt...

Different.

He couldn't place his finger on it.

Kylo was able to heal Rey, though not completely. Her body was still bruised and cut, however it was not nearly as bad as before. The bone in her ankle mended back together, still painful but no longer causing her to rely on one leg.

It was strange, the feeling that coursed through him.

He felt stronger, and his mind felt as though it was able to breathe, gaining an indefinite moment of clarity. When channeling the force, it was as though it responded faster to him now, his bond with it strengthening in an unfamiliar way.

From behind him, Kylo heard the door creak open, Rey slowly limping her way towards him, leaning against the post in front of the hut.

Turning slightly, Kylo caught a quick glance at her face, noticing the bruising around her eye was no longer purple, just a light green. As for her lip, the cut wasn't as deep, the imperfection making her features stand out even more.

Her wet hair lay past her shoulders, her black robes pooling at her feet.

Together, they let the silence surround them, both Rey and Kylo unsure of what to say.

Glancing down at her garb, he spoke first. "I'm sorry for the clothing... MOX did the best he could..." He said, referring to the long black robe that his droid tried to fix up.

After a moment, Rey softly scoffed, swallowing before she spoke.

"So, what do I say now?" she asked, her small, raspy whispered.

Kylo turned to her, eyeing her with a curious look.

"Long live the Supreme Leader, right?" she asked, a small smile played on her lips, but her tone held no sign of amusement.

Kylo blinked, his gaze falling to the dirt at her feet, traveling back up to Rey.

His eyes caught hers, and for a moment they shared a caring and worried look for one another.

"No. Not anymore." he answered, his eyes never leaving Rey's.

Rey's eyes watched him, waiting for another answer from him, expecting him to go on and continue, but found that he never did.

"Why? Why are you here? Why are you helping me? You're the true Supreme Leader now..." Rey trailed off, the pain in her chest returning as her eyes fell from his, yet his eyes never left hers.

"I didn't want it, not at at this cost." His husky tone revealed.

Rey's eyes shot back up to his, tears pooling at the edge of her lids.

Kylo looked away now, not able to see her like this...Reminding him of her grief from Vicar's ship. He had never seen or heard such sadness.

He never wished to again.

Clearing her throat, Rey willed the tears away, at least for the moment. Catching her breath, she spoke. "And what now? Chirrut... A friend... said he had given me my last lesson. Look what happened then." Rey challenged in a soft tone.

Kylo's eyes shot back up to her, a stern look on his face. "Just because you're given your last lesson, doesn't mean you stop practicing."

Rey's eyes locked with his, his statement sitting deep with her.

"So... What? You're going to train me?" She asked, disbelieving.

Kylo refused to answer. Part of him still couldn't believe his choice... Part of him still contemplated it.

Instead, the silence answered her question, though she was not sure she was ready to begin thinking about training right now.

"Later, when you've healed." He finally answered, looking off into the distance. "Hux is probably hiding away in some dark corner of the galaxy. It'll be some time before we find him, or he finds us."

From beside him, he felt Rey smile, a smile he thought he wouldn't see for a very long time.

Watching her face, he watched as her wet eyes met his again.

"We already know where he is." she said, making Kylo's brow knit together in confusion. "While I was inside Vicar's ship, buying time for the rest of our crew, they were off planting explosives and trackers on every ship that belonged to the Knights and to the First Order."

Rey turned to look off into the night as she continued, Kylo shocked into silence. "I tinkered with each device myself. It'll be undetected under any scanner, the radius nearly unimaginable. No matter where they are, the Resistance is watching. On top of it all, Vicar held on to every file of every transaction the First Order made."

Kylo looked at her, stunned. "So..." he swallowed. "So-"

Rey turned to him, meeting his eyes. "So, every crime lord, every First Order servant, every Master of slaves, every arms dealer... The Resistance now has."

( X )

Across the galaxy, Resistance forces filed into crime filled cities, farms of people held hostage to the work of their masters. Crime lords fell, detained by the officers that reported to Leia Organa.

On planets, big and small, ships flew out to assist with the freeing of slaves, given a chance to join or to live their own life, a free life to make their own choice for the first time since their birth.

Resistance numbers grew, their forces strengthening, a new era, beginning.

( X )

In the dark sky, Kylo and Rey looked on as her words settled between them. In the distance, in the dark night, a shooting star shot across the sky.

Together, they witnessed this for the first time in their lives.

( X ) ( X )

 **Author's Notes:**

WOOOOWZA. That was a big chapter.

I just want to say thank you so much for every reader that takes the time to leave some feedback. I feel like I thank you guys into annoyance, but I really do appreciate it all so much. It's really fun writing a story like this, with these complex characters, and to have someone say they like it too means the world.

SO THANK YOU.

ON TO THE SECOND HALF OF THIS STORY.

(Future chapters will still be posted here, don't worry! :D )

Also: Check out my Reylo dedicated blog! Warning though, there are some NSFW posts... Lol.

blog/virtualscavenger


	39. Chapter 39

"What was that?" Rey asked Kylo as they outside the hut. Her wide eyes followed as far as they could into the dark night, hoping to see the shooting star appear.

Kylo looked at her, unsure of what to say. He himself didn't know. Rey glanced to him, expecting an answer, but knew she would not be getting one.

With her eyes on his face, she realized then, she was not the only one plagued with troubles of the mind.

From behind them, MOX appeared at the door. "Excuse me, Master Ren. Are you hungry? I can whip up-" The droid began, but Kylo turned and cut him off.

"No." was all Kylo said. MOX gave a quick nod and wobbled back inside, Kylo catching Rey's eye as he turned back.

"What is this place?" Rey's weak voice asked, turned to lean her head against the post.

Kylo studied her, not wanting to say anything in fear of revealing too much. Slowly, his eyes trailed from her cut lip, to her soft nose, to the eyes that now watched him.

Feeling insecure, Rey glanced away quickly.

"Fine, don't tell me… Will you at least tell me how you feel? I know you healed me. "

Rey's eyes hesitantly met his, his look already hardening. "I'm… I'm just trying to understand. I don't know what any of this means." Rey shook her head, looking away and back to Kylo with a frustrated stare.

Her headache was returning as her bones throbbed, yet her stubborn mind refused to step down.

Kylo shook his head, exasperated.

"Why does that matter right now?" He asked, taking a step closer to her, towering over Rey.

Sensing it through this force, as if it was being screamed to him, he shook his head as he spoke again. "You still don't trust me. This is the third time I have saved your life may I add." He said, his voice growing louder.

Rey's eyes narrowed at him, her ankle swelling with pain, though she refused to admit her pain. "Where should I start?"

Kylo ran a frustrated hand down his face, being careful to hold his tongue. Hissing, he stalked towards the door to the hut, holding it open for her. "I can feel your pain. I'm rather sick of it… You need rest." He said, looking on.

Rey stood in her place, too stubborn to move. She had so many questions… so many thoughts…

When her leg tensed up, that's when she felt it. The pain. It was excruciating. It absolutely baffled her how she was able to ignore such pain until now, when she actually thought about it. For a second, she wondered if it was related to strength she felt at Vicar's ship… when her eyes glowed… when whips of electricity emitted from her palms…

Rey gulped, refusing to think about it.

It truly scared her, the person she became was an absolute stranger, a monster even.

That power overcame her in ways she didn't know was possible, the same power she was working so hard to destroy…

Inhaling deeply, Rey glanced to the ground as she turned to the door, and limped her way inside. Kylo followed impatiently.

Looking around, Rey was able to see for the first time how furnished the hut was. Books covered every corner, stacks of paper stuck between the pages. A couch sat in the middle of the room, taking up a large space of the wooded floor. It was simple, but… but it was Ben.

Kylo disappeared down a hall, one of the doors creaking open as his heavy boots hit the floor with every step. Rey slowly made her way behind him, finding that he was in what seemed to be a bedroom, more books stacked so high that she barely saw the walls, a dresser imbedded into the wall where Kylo stood, and the only other thing in the room itself was a large bed, bigger than she had ever seen in her life.

"I've never seen them this large." She said as she limped up to it.

Kylo turned from the dresser, an old radar detector in his hand as he shut the drawer. He watched her approach the bed, placing a hand against the soft material.

The whole ordeal made him anxious, eager to get her away from his hide-away all together.

Trying to calm his annoyance, he glanced away and focused on his breathing. "You…you can sleep in here. I'll stay out in the loft." He said, walking back towards the door. Rey turned to him as fast as she could, her eyes wide.

She hated to admit it, but for the first time in her life, she was terrified of being alone.

She knew the events from the day would cascade down her mind, and in the state she was already in, she was not able to handle the silence.

"Um," she gulped, knowing she shouldn't ask anyway. He paused at the door, his back to her "I don't… I can't…" His head turned towards her, and his eyes drifted from the ground up to her face.

He was going to continue walking, hell he was only one step from getting out of the room…

But the frightened emotion that spiked through the air is the only thing that made him stop.

It was against every single thing Snoke had taught him… this emotion. This sorrow… The pity.

Yet, somehow… He still felt it. In the pit of his stomach, he felt it there, alive.

Glancing away, his large hand gripped the door handle as he debated.

"Fine." Was all he said as he walked to the other side of the bed, sitting down with his back against the wall. He watched as she struggled to get onto the bed, the bed being much higher than the usual cot she was used to.

Rey was attempting to hop onto the bed… and while doing so, she knew she looked like a fool.

Tired and frustrated, she glanced at him only to find him watching her, suppressing a smirk.

Rolling his eyes, he got back up, walking over to her and swiftly bending down to pick her up, letting her fall onto the bed.

Silently, she cursed at him as she gathered the large garment she was drowning in and placed it on the bed as she laid back.

Rey had never felt a softer cushion, the mat itself seemed to form around her aching bones, comforting each one.

Sighing, Rey turned to her side, facing Kylo, who was staring down at the empty space between them.

Re-adjusting, Rey struggled with what to say, feeling odd that she was lying next to the person she was supposedly at war with. Part of her felt guilty, as if she was betraying the trust of everyone in the rebellion, her cheeks growing hot at the thought of them finding out…

However, he was changing… She couldn't place her finger on it, be she felt it.

Rey was sure she could see more if she pressed on in his mind, but the thought frightened her, the image still burned in her mind from the last time the force overtook her.

For nearly two hours, Rey tossed and turned, her body aching for rest and her mind begging for sleep. The memory of Kai's faced appeared the moment her eyes closed, the sounds of her cries whispering in her ears.

As sleep finally overcame her, so did her nightmares.

( X )

Several hours later, the sun was beginning to rise, the sounds of raindrops hitting a nearby window echoed throughout the hut. Rey's eyes shot up, plagued with restlessness.

Crrrt-shrrrt.

Her brows furrowed as she realized Kylo was no longer sitting beside her, wondering how long she had been out, feeling as though she had never gotten any sleep at all.

Crrrt-shrrrt.

Glancing around the room, she couldn't pinpoint where the noise was coming from.

Crrrt-shrrt.

Slowly, Rey moved to get up, wincing at every turn as her bones began to wake, the aching and throbbing returning instantly. Groaning as she rolled of the tall bed, Rey began to limp to the door, the odd sound joining the raindrops.

Crrrt-shrrrt.

Rey looked down the hall, the blue and orange light from the sky poured in from the window in the small kitchen to her right. Limping and stumbling, she made her way to it, her hands balancing her on the counter as her heart stopped at the image.

Grogginess fluttered away as Rey's heart clenched itself into a sad and shocked knot.

A yard away, a shirtless Kylo Ren stood over a large dirt hole beneath the largest tree, a shovel in hand as he worked hard and quick to dig into the ground.

One foot away laid a body gently rolled into black canvas, and in that instant, Rey knew.

Tears stung her eyes, her jaw slowly dropping as she watched her bonded bury her friend.

( X )

Days passed, the silence growing.

He spent his days outside in the nearby forest, training, making sure he never lost his senses when it came to handling his lightsaber. He was gone from morning to night, by the time he returned, Rey was still always in bed, sometimes getting up to shower, even mustering up some energy to nibble at whatever meal MOX prepared.

The atmosphere was different. They both felt it, even in the silence.

Rey was suppressing her powers, and the force with it.

But it grew, and so did a certain hunger.

The fact that she was lowering her block, in consequence of pushing the force aside, Kylo was always in tune with what she was feeling. Every day, there was a strong cloud of grief and regret that hovered over Rey, always looming in the air wherever she moved.

Kylo could also sense that she felt some comfort, knowing that Kai was not left on Vicar's ship with the man that ordered her death. He knew Rey would walk outside, limping her way to the patch of green grass and colorful flowers, shaded by the tallest, healthiest trees there. She'd spend a large chunk of her day there, thinking through her sadness.

In all honesty, he was not sure what motivated him to bring the girl's body with them here... He chalked it up to his own regret, for how the events played out, for not doing anything...

He also could not deny the odd light that seemed to outline the darkness within him now, after healing Rey. He wondered if it was transferred between them, giving her dark, and him, light.

He felt her getting stronger, though.

As each day passed, he felt that hunger there, growing and growing beneath the grief.

She was turning the sadness into anger, a driving point for her revenge.

( X )

Wasting no time, General Armitage Hux announced that he will be leading the First Order, and that Kylo Ren, branded a traitor now, is to be killed on site by any living force in the galaxy, promising aid and leniency to anyone who helped, even members of the Resistance.

At this, Leia scoffed, seeing his lie spread across his face from the hologram he sent through every monitor that allowed it through the galaxy.

With the files they received from Flora and Chewie, along with the help from BB-8, the entire Rebellion was able to see the types of weapons Hux was planning on creating.

From the visual, the devices he had in mind, would never result in any type of truce.

Overseeing the hard work of her base, Leia Organa's mind wandered from on top of the balcony of the conference room.

Worry plagued her thoughts, a type of uncertainty laying with the events over the past few days. They had barely any contact with Rey, except for the transmission she had with shared with Flora and Chewie, and now, with Hux putting out a hit on her son throughout the galaxy, touching every star and every base in it, Leia couldn't help her nerves as they overworked themselves with worry.

"Do you think she's with him?" called a younger voice from behind Leia. Turning, she met the sad and tired eyes of Flora, who slowly made her way to Leia's side.

The General's heart dropped softly, knowing all too well that Flora was struggling with the loss of her twin sister. She tried her best to be of some comfort for the younger girl, but with so much going on, there was work that needed to be done, orders to be sent out to ensure they were always one step ahead of Hux.

At Flora's comment, Leia thought.

There was not a doubt in her mind that Rey was with Ben right now, and if any happiness could be found in the past few days, it was that. Leia knew that the two shared a bond, a bond stronger than she herself had seen, or even shared with Luke or Han.

Though she knew deep down that it would take more than this to completely rid her son of the dark side, the fact that he was both protecting Rey and being protected by Rey, gave her confidence that he was retuning.

The corner of her lip twitched with a small smile.

"Yes. I like to believe so." Leia answered Flora.

Their eyes watched over the big crowds below, everyone running this way and that to prepare for incoming ships. Their numbers were growing by the hour, a turn that the Resistance had not seen in years, decades even.

From beside Leia, Flora nodded, approvingly. "At least something good came out of this."

Leia's heart ached once more, knowing all too well what the younger girl was going through. She moved to grasp her hand, Flora sadly looking down at their clasped hands.

Oh, the lengths she would go to share another moment with her sister.

Blinking away a tear, Flora straightened, her jaw hardening.

"I wish I could tell you it gets easier. Eventually, you find yourself living the life they would want you to, and in that, comes comfort." Leia said.

Nodding, Flora knew it to be true.

For the first time in her life, she no longer had her other half standing beside her, the air dreadfully silent at all times, Kai's voice for once not filling her ears.

Regret squeezed her heart.

How would Kai want her to live her life now?

Maybe...

Maybe by what her sister died doing...

Instantly, she knew.

She had always felt it, the moment they met their teacher.

She would be the savior's protector.

( X )

In Kylo, some of that anger returned just moments after MOX gave him an update after receiving a mandatory holo-message of General Hux announcing his rule over the Frist Order, and in turn, pitting Kylo against the galaxy.

Hissing as he slammed his fist against the nearest wall inside the ship, Kylo stormed out, heading back to the hut to wake Rey, assuming she was still in bed as she always was when he returned.

Rey was coping, though. She was letting the sadness filter away as she came to terms with what happened, determined to let Hux suffer when she finally had her hands on him.

Knowing that Kai was at rest now, let her grieve properly.

Every day, while Kylo was out maintaining his strength she assumed, she would go out to the spot Kai rested at, a place surrounded by the brightest and tallest trees, a place where the wildest flowers grew. To Rey, it was the perfect spot for Kai.

She had actually just returned to the hut, having stayed out there later than she intended, and had just sat down at what appeared to be Kylo's desk when he had walked in.

Rey wasn't sure why, but the atmosphere was filled with tension and surprise as their eyes met. He seemed unprepared to see her here, awake and out of bed. His dark eyes looked her over, as if to check if she was real, or if maybe this was a trick from their bond.

The look in his eyes, the fact that she was being studied...it made her belly warm, the new and odd hunger returning to her as it had the past few days.

Something was coursing through her.

A sense of power... of challenge... as if for the first time, she was not the prey, but the predator.

A droplet of sweat ran down his face, joining in with another from his hair before falling to the floor.

Rey watched the movement, her eyes falling to the ground with the drop before climbing back up and meeting his gaze.

Under her watch, his jaw tensed before he moved to take his gloves off.

"Better?" he asked, his voice tense.

She watched him a moment longer before she answered. "I'm fine." Rey lied.

It was true. Her body and mind were still exhausted, her body still sore. She couldn't grasp what she was going through mentally, the fresh loss of her friend and the fact that she could feel this change actively working with her and with Ben, utterly confused her.

Kylo quickly scoffed at the lie, rolling his eyes as he tore his gaze from hers.

Deep down, Rey felt a spike of...hunger...or...or annoyance?... run through her.

It added to the confusion and a sense of desire fluttered through her, the need to challenge him just as he always challenged her.

Rey wondered if it was the exchange that took place when Ben healed her... if her absorbed her light, and she his dark.

She wondered if he felt this at all times, this yearning...the power...

Swallowing, Rey continued to watch him as he walked towards the fresher, opening the door and pausing where he stood as he turned to look at her.

"You'll join me." His heavy tone said, so self-assured.

For a moment, Rey's heart froze, her breathing hitched as her lips parted slightly, looking from his eyes to the shower behind him.

The quick thought flooded her mind, her body working quickly to cover it up, though it was too slow for Kylo, catching the thought with little work, as if her mind screamed it to his own. Since Cinnon'Ra, Rey's senses were too weak, his mind easily in tune with hers, and he meant for it to be at all times, and right now, he was grateful for it.

His brow arched, a small smirk already playing at his lips.

Rey's eyes widened before she looked away, a blush creeping on her cheeks down to her neck.

"I meant with training. Tomorrow." He said.

He gave her no time to come back at him, her smart response already on her tongue, however she pressed her lips into the thinnest line as he turned and shut the door, the sound of the water waking up.

Rey cursed at him, getting up and limping away as her back ached. She wondered if she would even be up for training tomorrow, but she knew she'd push herself...

Anything to rid the bastard of that damned smirk he had.

Again, the spike of power touched her nerves, and for a moment, it didn't scare her, only because it was accompanied with something else...

From the other side of the door, Kylo's smirk was on full display as he stripped his clothing away, the feeling of desire filling both him and Rey simultaneously.

( X )

Author's Notes: A filler chapter! But oh man, lot's to come. :D


	40. Chapter 40

**DISCLAIMER: MATURE CONTENT AHEAD.**

The sky was purple.

A dark purple...

The view reminded her of her saber.

Though, she did not know where she was...She was looking out of a window...

She glanced around the dark ship, her reflection mirroring off of the shiny, black, glossy floors.

The atmosphere was...

…

Animalistic.

She could smell the aggression, veiled by a layer of passion...

Instantly, she was on high alert.

…

The ship... It... It belonged to Ben...

She was sure of it.

She had been there once.

Turning a still ear, she listened for any sign of life...

Nothing.

Nothing, except for...

Except for heavy breathing...

Following the sound, she hesitantly approached an open door, no doubt his chambers...The door was tall and wide, the frame seemed...Royal.

She peered inside, her cheeks quickly growing hot as she saw the reason for the … for...

It...

It was her.

Rey's eyes widened at the sight of herself on the lap of...

On the lap of Ben...Her naked self was wrapped around his sweaty being... His large frame was … nearly engulfing her smaller one...Her eyes were shut, her head thrown back as he tugged on her hair, his face lost in the crook of her neck as he groaned...

She quickly looked away.

Never had she... She'd never seen...or heard...or done...

She wouldn't...

She just couldn't make sense of it.

Rey's entire face was hot, her palms sweaty, her own breathing quickened...The other Rey seemed as though...as if... she was enjoying it...

And again...

She dared another look... Timidly, she turned back, her soft, curious eyes slowly landing on her own, meeting a soft, yellow gaze.

Rey gasped, making Kylo's head turn towards her. He and the … the other Rey...

They stared at her there, stuck at the entrance, both of their pair of goldish yellow eyes on her as they continued their...Their...

( X )

Rey shot up out of bed, a drop of sweat trickling down the back of her neck as she struggled to control her breathing.

This time, she touched the bed to make sure this was real. Gripping the blanket that she was wrapped in, Rey inhaled deeply, her nerves shot as she tried to work through the shock and agitation of her dream... Trying to determine if it was a nightmare... Or...

Something twitched from the corner of her eye.

Her head whipped to the side, barely able to see the outline of Ben in the dark as he lay next to her, having fallen asleep as he was sitting there earlier in the night, waiting for her to rest.

He had stayed with her every night until she fell asleep, always getting up and moving to the lounge area and taking his rest on the couch out there, gone by the time Rey woke up. So, now that he was here, so close...on the bed...

Rey laid back down, cursing herself as she turned away from him.

This was a night of firsts...

( X )

The following morning, Rey made her way towards the ship, intent on contacting the Resistance to check in.

Her tired, heavy eyes narrowed when the sun hit them, looking around the long, wide yard to see where Kylo was, finding out that he was already deep in the forest training.

She was extremely grateful that he was already gone. The previous night was weighing heavy on her mind, her cheeks flaring up with heat every time she thought about it. She still had no idea what it meant, but what stuck with her was the animalistic instinct that itched and scratched deep within her.

Every turn, every shift, whatever the case may be, made Rey want to hunt.

Hunt what exactly, she didn't know.

A possessive spike was now implanted in her somewhere, the dark need and desire to control and overpower was...Well, surprisingly, not overwhelming. In fact, Rey nearly welcomed the feeling with open arms.

For once, she felt whole.

She felt that not only did she have a purpose, but she had a way of achieving it, as if she was truly unstoppable.

Shutting her eyes, Rey shook her head softly, reminding herself that she could not think like this...That she was not supposed to like this.

Wasn't this what Luke was trying to prevent?

Sighing, Rey reached the comm unit, turning it on as she found the signal to Falcon.

"Light to Falcon." she muttered, waiting a few minutes before she called out again, this time getting a gurgled response from Chewie.

Rey couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Hey, Chewie- No. Yes, I'm aware." Rey answered quickly, struggling to keep up with his fast-paced roars.

She heard shuffling over comm before a soft, stern voice came on.

"Rey?" Leia called out.

Rey's finger twitched over the comm button, unprepared to hear her voice. "Gen- Leia. How ar-"

"Oh, I've been worried sick. I wasn't sure if... Well... I just wanted to know for myself." Leia's heavy tone admitted. Rey leaned against the unit, picking at the fabric of her garb.

"I'm okay. Healing, but okay."

Silence followed, and without having to channel the force, even stars and stars away, Rey knew what the older woman was going to ask.

"Is... Is he..."

"He's here. I don't know what the plan is...I don't know his intentions...But he's here." Rey paused, unsure of what information she was allowed to give out...The instinct kicked in... The possessiveness... Biting her lip, Rey continued. "Leia, he was the one that helped me... Again. If he didn't save me, I'd be..." The word was at the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't get it out. The word reminded her instantly of Kai.

Leia inhaled sharply, the words Rey spoke confirmed what she had felt. Leia nodded, even though Rey couldn't see. She had to keep her mind in check, to remember the bigger picture here.

"Good. Just be careful Rey, even now. Hux sent out a transmission bounty, branding Ben a traitor... I highly doubt they would show any mercy to his... companions." Leia said, stuttering at the last word. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to call Rey... a 'friend' seemed too formal, and anything less than that seemed like a lie.

"I know. I will be." Rey said. Leia said her goodbyes, telling Rey to be careful once more, before passing the receiver.

A second later, Flora's voice filled the empty ship.

"Rey? Is that you?" She timidly and eagerly asked.

"Yes, Flora. It's me."

For a moment, Rey wanted to ask how she was doing, immediately feeling embarrassed. She knew exactly how she felt.

Silence crossed between them for a long minute before Rey's broken whisper spoke out.

"She's buried here. When... when it's safer..." she trailed off, Flora inhaled deeply, shock registering with sadness and comfort.

"Yes...When it's safer...And... And you'll be back soon... Right?" Flora asked. Rey's heart clenched with regret and guilt. She knew Flora needed her, especially now. Rey silently cursed herself with blame.

"Without a doubt. I will be back soon." Rey promised, trying her best not to sound distraught.

Glancing around, Rey just wondered if she would be returning alone.

( X )

She finally found him.

It only took her an hour, but she finally found him. He was there in the forest, surrounded by trees and large boulders, and as Rey came closer, she saw the tall trees that were once standing on their own, had been uprooted and shoved into the ground, creating a unique pattern in zig zag formation.

Her brows knitted together as she studied them, glancing from the tall branches and leaves above, all the way down to the mud that was gathering at the base.

"Put your stuff down."

He called from behind her. For a second, she forgot he was there, too distracted by the trees. When he called out, Rey wasn't able to hide the jump that her body made.

Walking around her, with his back to her, he took off his black gloves and chucked them away, turning to meet her.

Rey's eyes widened slightly as she met his for the quickest second, her cheeks turning bright red as the image from her dream skipped through her mind.

Both of them, naked...their matching yellow eyes... almost gold, softer than she had seen before...His body...long and wide...

Rey quickly thought of something else, still unable to stop the heat from flushing from her face to her neck.

For once, she was grateful that he was studying her wardrobe instead of her face.

His droid, MOX, did rather well with cutting up Kylo's old clothing. All of it was black, and all of it was much too large for Rey's small frame. So, MOX made adjustments, shredding the tunics and the cloaks until he was able to form a couple things for Rey to wear for the time being.

Today, she seemed more comfortable, no longer in his overly large cloak. Instead, it was trimmed down into a sleeveless tunic, and she was able to use the black scraps as bandages for her chest and arms, exposing her neckline and part of her shoulders.

To Rey, it was rather odd to wear such heavy and dark clothes, having stayed away from it with dealing with the ongoing heat on Jakku. Though, it was different, and she was happy to have her bandages back, feeling more comfortable to move around now.

Tossing her satchel to the side, she softly limped to Kylo's side, who was still watching her intently.

For a moment, he narrowed his eyes at her, knowing something was on her mind. Rey was hesitant to use her block, wanting nothing to do with the force since the events on Vicar's ship, but for this, she made an exception.

Her block was not as strong as before, but she was able to protect last night's dream with absolutely everything she had.

Rey's eyes timidly moved up from the ground to meet his gaze.

Kylo could smell it now. Whatever she was hiding, was something big.

He knew that she had been refusing to use the force, or even use her energy to put up her block, and now, she was using it all up just to hide this one thing...

His eyes on never leaving hers, he slowly took a large step to her, his mind trying to push into hers.

For a moment, she almost waivered...

Almost.

Catching herself, she stood tall, her chin moving into the air as her heart beat quickened, her breathing fastened.

Taking note of this, Kylo realized right then.

She was hungry...her desire was too strong...So fresh...

She wanted the power, she wanted to win...

But she was refusing herself.

Knowing this didn't worry him as it would have before. Instead, it excited him. Before, Rey was scared of what she could become, she was afraid of the power and the strength that would come of it. And now, weather she liked it or not, it was implanted within her, the drive and the eagerness for the challenge pushed her to grow and become greater than she was.

This, right here, is what he envisioned for Rey.

Satisfied, he moved away from her, his back turning to her once more.

Annoyed, Rey watched him walk away as she felt his presence slip from her mind. Sighing, she limped towards him, stopping abruptly as he turned to face her, his own eyes reflecting the same annoyance.

"You can walk just fine." He accused.

Rey snarled at him. "Excuse me? I am no-"

Her words trailed off as he quickly closed the distance between them, his long legs refusing to slow down. Rey stepped back, wincing as she struggled to walk backwards in hopes that he wouldn't run into her.

The fact she moved away made him charge at her.

Frustrated, Rey skirted to the side, Kylo matching her movement, always a step ahead of her. At the pace she was moving, the weight in her ankle seemed lighter and lighter, freeing up whatever tension she had there for the past week.

With that, Kylo still stalked towards her, reaching for his lightsaber.

Rey froze for a second, feeling helpless, with no thought to escape, she accepted the defeat as she tumbled backwards onto the muddy ground.

Kylo stopped in his tacks, peering down at her as she glared up at him.

He knelt down to her, eye level with Rey now. "Why are you so afraid?"

Rey wanted to curse him to the stars, frustration and annoyance boiling over throughout her veins. How could he not see? How could he...

With that, she finally realized.

"You have no compassion! The force refused to help me when I needed it, and then it showed up when it was too late! By that time, I was already turning into a murderous monster!" Rey hissed, her yelling pierced the misty air.

Kylo's jaw twitched as his eyes narrowed at her.

Suppressing a scoff, he stood up and turned to walk back towards the center of the field.

Behind him, he heard Rey grunt as she moved to stand up, calling after him.

"Tell me you didn't know!"

Kylo froze, an odd sting in his gut.

He could feel the sadness in her again, the pain slicing at her heart as he remained silent, until he turned back to her, meeting her wet eyes.

"Please... Just tell me you didn't know." She begged, referring to the device Hux and Vicar had created.

His eyes softened at the sight of her, her lips pressed into a thin line as she tried her best not to break down. "No. I didn't know." he answered.

For a long moment, Rey stared at him, watching for any twitch or any sign that he was lying, giving him a moment to confess. Though he never did, and stubbornly, she pushed into his mind, finding that he was indeed telling the truth.

Blinking the tears away, she was barely aware that he was stepping closer to her now.

"Don't be afraid." he muttered, reminding her of the time he interrogated her on his ship.

'I feel it too.' he had said.

"You aren't a murderer. Those people would have killed you out of sport alone, they would have killed more than just that girl, and a lot more would have been tortured if they were still alive. This is of no fault of the force."

He stepped closer again, and Rey's shoulders fell in defeat, peering up at him, lost.

"The force isn't a power you have." Kylo continued. It was the same thing Luke Skywalker told Rey during her first lesson, something so simple...and something she had forgotten. "It's all around you. It doesn't belong to you... You, belong to it."

Rey felt something stir within her, and just as quickly, she tried to shut it away...

"Show me." he said. Rey was mute, contemplating what was real, what wasn't. Quickly, he peered into her feelings, into her mind, easily finding what she needed to hear, something she was telling herself in the back of her mind. "Don't let their death be for nothing." he said.

Rey's eyes met his, her face uncertain, almost ashamed.

She knew she had to do this... The longer she sat there, the longer Hux had time to plan...

Closing her watery eyes, she placed her hand down on the ground, feeling the blades of grass between her fingers, the mud seeping beneath her nails. Instead of focusing on the bad, instead of focusing on her determination to defeat Hux, she focused on the motivation, the drive on what and who she had to do this for.

The faces of her friends filled her mind, a smiling Kai and Flora, a laughing Finn, a cheeky Rose, a stubborn Poe, BB-8 and R2 beeping some codes to C3-PO, and in the midst, was Leia, Luke and Han.

Yes. For these people, she was doing this...

She was overcoming her fear, her weakness...

And they became her strength.

It was simple now.

Just as easy as lifting rocks.

( X )

Later that night, Rey slept in the other room, Kylo out in the lounge area, freshly showered.

He lay on the oversized couch, his body begging for rest as today's training session with the girl finally wore him out. It took some time, and a lot of fumbling around, but Rey was slowly making progress with letting the force back in.

It was odd to him, how drastically it had changed in just the one week since they arrived on Arrowmada. She had completely shut herself off from the force it seemed, and it appeared to him that the only thing that remained was their bond. Kylo assumed that was how he was able to still keep in touch with how she felt, and at times, what she thought.

Sighing, Kylo knew there was still much to do.

She was gaining control faster than he had anticipated, she seemed almost eager for it. Deep down, she knew her potential, and through their bond, the more she gained that same control, the more they seemed in synch with their movement during training.

It was thrilling, exciting even. He himself felt more powerful, and not in the sense of a role for once. He himself was growing, and together, their powers melted together, balancing itself out as they trained.

Tomorrow would be an even bigger day, he knew.

Sitting up, Kylo shrugged out of his long-sleeved tunic, letting it fall to the floor as he leaned back again, and fell asleep nearly instantly for the first time in months.

( X )

The walls looked like tree bark.

Gold and brown streaks decorating the interior...

It almost reminded him of his childhood home, a place he hadn't thought of for years.

His brows knitted together.

He was... confused.

Was this his home?

He couldn't be sure.

But he felt …

He felt her presence here...

How could she have ever known of this place?

He wondered...

Behind him, he heard a soft, pleased gasp.

His hand went to his waist, searching for his saber, coming up empty.

He turned quickly, freezing as his lips parted at the sight.

Rey stood there, her heard turned up with her eyes closed, a small smile playing at her lips.

She was fully nude, her golden skin shining in the light, her rosy cheeks bright with pleasure.

Behind her, he stood, his own nude self forming around her, his large hands running painfully slow across her skin, traveling from her hip up to her breasts, her own hands resting on his.

His face was hidden by his wild, black hair, his mouth moving into her neck as he bit, causing her to moan.

Kylo stood there, unable to help his eyes as they skimmed over the scene. He lusted at the sight of her, from the tips of her toes, to the dark crevice between her thighs, to her toned abdomen, her soft chest, and the pleasure that was displayed across her face.

Kylo's jaw tensed, looking her over once more, this time, when his eyes came to her face, he met her gaze, her eyes were colored a soft goldish yellow.

Her hooded gaze watched him watching her with the other version of him...

The corner of her lips turned up into a small smile, and Kylo gulped.

( X )

Kylo woke with start, a knot forming in his neck as he shot up into a sitting position on the couch, a few drops of sweat running down his temple as his breathing hitched.

Running a heavy hand through his hair, he tried to get the image out of his mind...

Though everything in him kept pulling it right back.

The look that was in her eye... It was a desire … for him... and for control... for that same power he had within himself... For once in his life, he felt like prey to a predator...

His breathing grew steadier as he laid back down, staring up at the ceiling of the hut, his groin aching.

No.

He was foolish to believe there would be any rest tonight.

( X )

Author's Notes:

Thanks for reading! Please leave any type of feedback, it makes my day and makes me update faster :D Hope you liked itttt.


	41. Chapter 41

He couldn't focus.

He tried taking a second shower through the night, restless and annoyed that any time he closed his eyes, the vision crept right back into his mind. By the third time, he had no choice but to find his own release, taking the opportunity in the shower as Rey slept in the other room.

His fist slammed into the tree in front of him, hissing at the pain and frustration. Now, he was deep in the forest as he trained alone, having left before the sun had a chance to rise, getting away from Rey and her presence that seemed to follow throughout every room in the hut.

Kylo felt weak, weak because he was forced to work out his own pleasure in the night, having not answered the need in a very long time. He was trained to avoid it, trained to believe that it was a weakling's game, the pursuit of lust.

His palm quickly extended out as he lifted shredded pieces of tree bark and with a clench of his fist, it turned to dust in front of his eyes as his breathing hardened the more he thought.

'And the scavenger...Of all people...' His mind whispered.

Yes, indeed, the scavenger.

Kylo gulped, his jaw drawing firm as he readjusted his black glove. Annoyance grew throughout him as his mind played out their kiss and memories of his vision.

No...

She was no scavenger...

She was Rey, his equal... This powerful being in the force...In this galaxy...

'His.'

His vision showed him exactly what he already knew.

Their power was in synch...Together, balance was alive. One another's equal in every way possible.

The thought made his stomach clench with a wave of pride, and with it, a hint of worry.

His submission...Her submission...Together.

Kylo let out an unsteady breath.

He was succumbing to her...

And he felt no defiance in his being whatsoever.

( X )

Rey quick dried her face with the small, soft cloth on the counter.

She had just gotten done eating a meal prepped by MOX, and went to the washer to clean herself up before she went to join Kylo in training.

She had noticed he left extra early today, nearly slamming the door as he exited before the sun was out.

Questions and dreams plagued her mind through the night, a haunting without evil.

Rey thought of the previous night's dream, her closeness with Kylo, the simple thought alone made her cheeks warm. Desperate to give her mind rest, she thought of everything and anything else. She wondered if she would be strong enough to battle as she previously did, and then her mind wandered to the First Order, thinking about the moment when Hux makes his first move.

She vowed to be ready.

With a deep breath, Rey made her way out to meet Kylo, hoping her vow stayed true.

Rey knew it was going to take time, there was no doubt about it. Even with time, she wasn't sure she could get over her fear of using the force completely. It was true, she was getting better now that she was training again. But the voice in the back of her mind still whispered memories of her with yellow eyes, and electricity emitting from her palms...

With complete power, just a thought away.

The fact made her worried...worried that it was true, and worried that she could feel the excitement hit her nerves.

It felt like...

It felt as though...

Before she could pinpoint the feeling, Rey stumbled into the training field where Kylo was at. His bare back was turned to her, and the sight of him made her breathing hitch.

Sensing her, Rey watched him stiffen, turning his head to look at her from the corner of his eye.

Rey watched as he skimmed her from toe to head, his jaw tightening as he met her eyes, turning away from her out of frustration.

Rey stood there, feeling awkward and annoyed herself, unsure what she did to him this time. She honestly felt that they were growing closer, though she still didn't know what their plan was, what he was going to do once she had to return to the Resistance.

Sighing, she decided she did not want to think about it right now. Instead, she straightened her back, the black fabric of her outfit clinging to her body as she walked towards him.

He was breathing hard, his shoulders and chest rising with every deep breath as he slowly turned to her, his hooded gaze shadowing over her as Rey peered up at him, confused by his expression.

He stayed silent for a moment, before his dark, low tone spoke out.

"Don't hold back." he demanded.

Rey's brows knitted together innocently, her lips parting slightly.

His hungry, dark eyes watched the movement, and as if triggered by it, he charged at her.

Rey had no choice but to let her satchel fall to the muddy ground, pulling out her lightsaber just as he ignited his own, striking downwards, Rey catching it just in time before it was able to slice her shoulder.

Rey hissed at the sudden attack, stepping backwards to create some distance between, though he quickly closed in, doing a full turn to put all of his weight into the next strike, making Rey grasp her own lightsaber with both hands to block it.

"Ben!" she cursed at him, his red light and her purple light reflecting off of her face.

Rey shoved her foot into his chest as hard as she could, knocking him back. The hit knocked all of the air out of him, making him groan as he regained his composure. Now, as he stalked towards her, Rey's eyes narrowed, matching his own aggressive stance.

Timidly, Rey raised her lightsaber, ready for his next strike.

They moved together, his strikes met by her own.

She shoved, he pulled.

He shoved, she pulled.

Together they pushed one another, egging the other on to top the other's attack, dodging and blocking every other one when they got enough energy to do so. Their strikes were so heavy, their movements so fast, that eventually they ended up a mile away from the training field they had created, striking down a few trees along the way.

Some time later, their muscles aching, their breathing rough, Kylo and Rey were beginning to slow down as they grew tired.

Rey's arm was giving out, she was trying so hard to keep awake, but she knew it. Hell, she could feel it.

Kylo swung towards her, his free hand gripping his rib that was throbbing from her hits.

When his saber struck down, Rey was too slow to block it with her full force.

Instead, it knocked her weapon from her grasp as she stumbled back.

Her eyes widened as she saw this wake him up, giving him a second wind.

He nearly broke out into a smirk, except he was so out of breath. His chin jutted into the air as he watched her, amused.

Amused, and hungry.

Rey glared at him, and the moment he took a step towards her, fear and dominance overtook her, her palm raised and through the force, she made his lightsaber fly from his hand, landing directly next to hers across a few feet away.

Surprised, Kylo watched his weapon fly and fall, his head whipping back towards Rey, sweat flying off strands of his hair.

For a second, they watched one another, both of them equally shocked and waiting for the other to make their move, their roles unsure of which was prey or predator.

They slowly circled one another, their breathing matching and growing steady, their eyes never leaving the other's.

When he dared to take a step forward, she took one back.

Again, they froze, their eyes on one another.

In that instant, Rey's hand extended, already mustering the force to push him back and disarm his senses, however Kylo was too quick.

The moment her arm was out, Kylo leaped forward and grabbed her by the wrist, pushing her against a tree, moving to grip both of her wrists tightly and held them above her head, locking her there.

Rey winced, hissing at him with narrowed eyes.

Kylo caught the look, gripping her wrists tighter in return.

She clenched her teeth, refusing to cry out or answer to the pain whatsoever.

In fact, she was a too distracted to think about the pain, with how close he was now.

It seemed as though he didn't catch their closeness until her body responded to it, warming at his touch, her eyes locked on his as she tried not to glance down at his shirtless chest.

But he could feel it.

Every inch of her sudden desire, he could feel it, and it evoked the same feeling deep within him, awakening a primal beast and bringing it to light.

Rey's chest rose with every breath, her eyes watching his as she waited for his next move, a dark, hungry charge circuited through her.

Kylo kept telling himself not to get distracted...

That this was not his intention...

That he was stronger than this hunger...than this need...for Rey.

His jaw tightened, and he tried to resist more, in turn only making the desire grow more.

With a quick waive of his hand over her wrists, he locked her there without needing to hold her now.

Rey peered up at him, wondering what he would do next, a silent temptation.

Watching her for a second, he waited only a quick moment for her to raise any protest, and when she gave none, only watching him, daring him... He moved.

Kylo's hand went straight to her hip, dragging her against him, his own fingers digging deliciously into her soft flesh as his mouth crashed to hers.

Rey couldn't help the shudder that coursed through her, making her legs wobble as she answered his hungry kiss. Their own warm and wet mouths nipped and licked at one another, tasting and biting as they showed dominance, and answered with submission.

With their body's crushed against one another, Kylo could feel the heat rolling off of Rey, and Rey could feel the hard member of his being pressing into her abdomen. She had never experienced such a thing before, but she knew what it was...what it meant.

The fact that she could make him feel so...lustful, made a sharp thrill run through her veins.

Deepening their kiss, Kylo snaked his other arm around her, his large hand running across her back as a moan escaped from her. The sound made his ears ring, and the bruises along his body throbbed in a pleasant way.

Rey timidly nibbled at his bottom lip causing a surprised Kylo to part his own lips as they melted to Rey's, and shortly after, his tongue met hers, skimming over her warmth as she matched his movements.

It was beginning to be too much...

Almost, too much.

With his guard down, his force hold withdrew itself from Rey's wrists, letting them fell to his shoulders as his mouth trailed along her jawline and to her neck. His hot breath tickled her, making her squirm against him. Her movements made his own body answer with a shudder.

Kylo's mouth opened along her neck, his teeth gliding along her skin before he bit down...

He knew for a fact she'd like it...

However, before he could hit his mark, he felt her energy shift, and body still.

In answer to her freezing, he did the same, his eyes opening as he looked around behind her.

Leaning back just a bit, he watched as she looked around the forest, sensing that she was searching through the force to see what was going on, and though he did the same, he felt nothing.

Slowly, she moved from his grasp, her eyes still searching through the trees.

A second later, her eyes widened as she grinned, dimples forming on her cheeks as she took off running.

"Chirrut!" Rey called as she ran off.

Kylo, still trying to gain his own composure, struggled to catch his breath, his body still hot and in need. He watched in utter confusion as she ran off, yelling whatever she said.

Leaning against the tree he had just held her against, he cursed the stars as before he moved to followed her.

( X )

Author's Notes:

Please leave some feedback? I see a lot of people reading, but no reviews! :(

Anyway, hope you liked this chapter! More soon!


	42. Chapter 42

She took off running.

To where? She wasn't sure.

All she could feel was his presence around her, the familiar calm and peace he brought with him everywhere he went. She had only met him once, yet she was so excited to see him again.

'Rey?

She felt Kylo call to her mind, refusing to answer him until she found her friend.

Rey continued running, questioning if she was running in circles. She scoffed at the idea that maybe it's what Chirrut intended...

Rey found herself back at the hut, looking across the large, empty field and still coming up with no sight of him. Sighing out of frustration, Rey let her eyes slowly close as she channeled the force, letting it lead the way.

Behind her, she could hear Kylo making his way to her, annoyance rolling off of every heavy step he took.

Her body was still flushed from their closeness, from their kiss. The pleasure she had felt with just his mouth on hers alone made her dizzy, and she could not deny she was eager for more...

However, now was not the best time.

Slowing her steps, Rey found herself across the field, making her way past tons of tall trees, their branches and leaves casting shadows over her as she walked to a part of the land she had not yet explored.

From where she stood nearly a mile away, she could hear the door slam as Kylo left the hut, making her stomach clench. Glancing back towards him, from a distance she saw he was now dressed in his long sleeve tunic, his shoulders draped with his cloak.

Sighing, she continued to follow the force.

Eventually, Rey heard waves of water lapping in the distance, the smell of it filling the air as she breathed. The view was lovely, a long, wide river escaping farther than her own eye could see, the water as blue as an empty sky.

For a moment, Rey forgot the task at hand, until she heard his voice call out from beside her.

"It's a beautiful sight isn't it?" he asked, his crystal blue eyes staring off into the distance. Rey jumped, unaware that he was there, or even so close. "If only I could see it." he chuckled.

Rey stared at him in disbelief, baffled that he was so amused by his own predicament, but Rey quickly decided that it was what made him...well, him.

Her grin returned as she threw her arms around him, hugging him tight as he timidly moved to do the same, chuckling as he fully embraced her as well.

"Ah, little Rey. You have gotten yourself in much trouble, haven't you?" he asked.

Rey pulled back to look at him, seeing that his face was turned in the direction of the hut. Turning behind her, she watched as Kylo stepped out from the woods, slowly observing the two as he hesitantly made his way towards her, on guard.

The corner of her mouth twitched with a smile as she turned back to Chirrut.

"Chirrut, this is Ben." She said, stepping away to take her place besides Kylo. "Ben, this is Chirrut."

Rey caught the way Kylo's jaw tensed, eager to correct the name she introduced him under.

Teeth clenched, Kylo gave a quick, single nod to the man.

"Oh, I know. In any other lifetime, you'd have to convince me this was not Han. But, in this one, this is solely Ben Solo."

Rey smiled at that, a shimmer of hope illuminating her world.

Kylo, however, tried his best not to narrow his eyes at the man.

"Chirrut, what are you doing here?" Rey asked, her eyes watching him with amusement. "I mean... I'm happy you're here... I'm sorry for the way I acted previously...It was just... Well, it wasn't the best time."

Chirrut smiled, glancing away and back off into the distance.

"Don't worry, little Rey. You did good. You met your purpose, as I have mine."

Rey looked at him, confused.

Just then, she felt an odd energy around her...

"Your purpose?" Rey asked, distracted.

Chirrut nodded. "Yes, in escorting our guest."

Kylo's head turned, catching the soft gaze of another girl in the distance. His brow furrowed as his hand slowly made his way to his lightsaber.

Slowly, Rey's head turned as well, her eyes settling down on Kai, her skin glowing in the sun, her robes curling around the bottom of her feet. Kai's eyes shined, brimming with tears as she smiled at Rey, who was watching her in shock, stumbling her way towards her.

Kylo and Chirrut looked on, Kylo giving her a glance here and there.

He was … confused, to say the least. He knew their presence here was not true, and for a moment, he wondered if it were a mind trick. However, when he did a quick check, he felt awake and in tune with his senses.

Right then, he knew.

Force ghosts.

Something he had never experienced... No one ever appeared to him, except for Luke...For a second, Kylo felt a sting of jealousy as he wondered if he were too weak to experience anything like this.

"If that were true, you would not be able to see me now." Chirrut said.

Kylo looked towards the man, half annoyed, half intrigued, crossing his arms as he waited for him to continue, fighting the urge not to attack the man for peering into his thoughts.

"I've called to one before, he refused my plea. It's nothing but a Jedi game." Kylo sneered, rolling his eyes.

"Ah, it is never a game. Though it is for the Jedi, indeed." Chirrut purred.

Kylo scoffed. "I'm no Jedi."

At this, Chirrut turned his gaze directly to Kylo, as if he was granted sight for just a moment, his crystal blue eyes landing directly on Kylo Ren's. For a moment, even the briefest moment, Kylo froze.

"Hmm." Chirrut answered, a small, knowing smile creeping on his face before he turned back towards the river, listening to the water lap against the dirt mounds.

Kylo followed his gaze, trying his best to brush off the man's expression, feeling the familiar frustration rolling into his nerves just as Rey met Kai's open arms behind him.

"I can't believe it...Kai, I'm...I'm-" Rey sobbed into Kai's shoulder, each woman holding the other.

"No, Rey, don't apologize." Kai moved back, taking Rey's face in her hands as tears rolled down her cheeks. "You did good, Rey. You did great."

Rey tried her best to return the smile Kai was displaying, though Rey couldn't help the sadness as it crept through when she shook her head. "It wasn't worth it, Kai. I failed you. I couldn't sa-"

"Enough. Our goal was to track the First Order, and get that information back to Leia. You said we could trust Ben, and we did. We still do. Rey, because of you, the galaxy has a chance to survive on much more than hope, a hope that you brought to light to begin with."

Kai straightened up, wiping the tears away from Rey's cheeks before she continued. "My story didn't end there, I'm still learning, I'm still training. There are gifts I could never imagine, lands that seem like fairytales. And the people... They have shown me a different side of the light that most would call myths. Don't regret our choice to go there, because that will take away from what we accomplished."

Kai looked at Rey sternly, a hint of sorrow tugging at her lips.

Slowly, Rey nodded, pulling Kai in for another hug as she spoke. "Have you...Does Flora-"

"Yes, I saw her. I spoke with her, just a moment before you found us here. Or we found you?" Kai chuckled. "She'll be okay. She's found her purpose." Kai smiled to Rey as they both stepped back, their hands clinging to one another.

"Her purpose?" Rey asked.

Kai nodded. "She'll be a great confidant, a trusted leader. She'll protect you with all she has, and you'll need it. Trust in her."

Rey felt her heart pounding more than a minute ago, her nerves shocked and her mind working to comprehend what Kai was saying, knowing that it was time to say goodbye, feeling as though they only had seconds together. Yet, Rey understood. The time they were granted to visit was taken with Flora, and the fact that they left any time at all to see Rey... It made tears pool all over again.

Sighing, Kai gripped Rey's hand once more and led her to Chirrut, Kylo glancing towards Rey and looking her over quickly before returning his gaze to the water, crossing his arms behind him.

Kai watched as Kylo studied her, his eyes showing a hint of concern.

Just then, she knew for certain that Rey's destiny was linked to the redemption of Ben Solo, just as the other's had said...

Chirrut turned to them, gazing off into the distance, silently preparing for the farewell.

Kai turned to Rey, smiling to her own Master. To her mind, she spoke. 'Until we meet again.'

Rey nodded, focusing on her breathing so that she wouldn't let her tears spill again.

With a sad, shakey sigh, Kai glanced towards Kylo, peering up at his rough, scarred face, the face of a man she once feared, and now had no choice but to admire.

Feeling her eyes on him, Kylo met the gaze of Kai, his expression wary.

"Thank you." Kai said, her tone low.

His brows began to knit together at the unusual comment, gratefulness was not something commonly expressed to him. However, as he looked into her eyes, he realized the meaning for it, the burial of her body, a resting place outside of the ship she died at.

Feeling uncomfortable and put on the spot, Kylo glanced to the ground, giving a single nod to her as acknowledgement.

Kai smiled, looking to Rey and gripped her hand once more before she joined Chirrut's side.

Rey joined Kylo's side, listening as Chirrut spoke.

"Well, little Rey. Continue your training-"

"Wait, what about-" Rey began.

"Do not fret, he will come in your time of need." Chirrut answered, referring to Luke Skywalker. His gaze fell from the distance, drifting to meet Kylo's. "It is after all, the Jedi way."

Kai smiled to Rey as Chirrut's eyes closed, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone.

Kylo's brows furrowed, feeling a sense of deja'vu as he glanced down to Rey who still stood directly beside him, both dressed in black, her eyes warm with determination as she glanced up at him, a small smirk coming to light across her face.

It dawned on him then.

This was the first vision he had... The vision he had been fighting for...The vision of Rey standing beside him with that same look, dressed in his same dark colored robes...

Though, she was not on the side he had predicted, nor he.

( X )

They made their way back in silence, each of them thinking of their time with Chirrut and Kai.

Rey wondered how Flora was feeling, if she was sad, or at all comforted by Kai's presence. All she knew for certain, was that she herself was beginning to feel better, rejuvenated by her young friend's words.

Kylo, however, was feeling more confused than ever, that same confusion bringing forth a raging annoyance that he couldn't hide as he stalked towards the hut.

Picking up on his frustration, Rey whipped around in front of him, forcing him to halt his steps. His narrow, dark eyes met hers, daring her to make another move.

She matched his glare, her mind reaching towards his to search for what bothered him, seeing nothing yet hearing the words Chirrut spoke to him right before Kylo pushed her out with a hiss.

"Why did tha-"

"Stay out of my head!" he sneered.

Rey crossed her arms in front of her, her chin in the air. "You're afraid." she said, so certain.

Kylo scoffed at her, yet remained silent as he walked past her.

"Just make up your mind already! The longer you wait, the stronger Hux grows, and with him, the First Order. Or is it that you still want to go back? To rule?" she called to him, anger beginning to reveal itself in her tone.

He quickly turned to her, his face growing hot. "I do not have an answer, nor do I owe you one!"

"Truly? So, what? Are you just waiting it out? Until Hux is taken care of so you can go back and take the throne? Why would that even be an option when I -"

"You think it's that simple? Oh, I forgot, the scavenger takes everything at face value! Did it ever occur to you," Kylo stepped closer to Rey, towering over her. "That my options are absolutely limited here? I either go back to the First order and get killed by the order of a lazy General, or make my way to the Resistance, banded together by thieves and traitors who would kill me on the spot?"

"I would never let that happen and you know it!-" She screamed at him, her voice ricocheting off of the trees that surrounded them.

"Do I? You placed a tracker on my own ship on the Challenge day! I have no doubt you've told my mother that you're with me, I wonder what other information you've shared-" Kylo accused as he took another step towards her, Rey refusing to back down.

"What is the point in all of that now? We are basically on the same side, you've saved me, and I, you-"

"And look at the chaos that's erupted from that choice!"

"Are you saying you regret it? If you did, you would not have been kissing me as you were earlier."

Kylo's jaw tightened, and for the first time since the farewell of Chirrut and Kai, there was silence between the two.

He glared at her, knowing there was nothing else he could do or say.

Rey watched him for a moment, her eyes dark and tempting, ready for the fight.

Straightening herself, she spoke. "Why is the decision so hard for you?" she asked softly.

"You're asking me to turn away from everything I have worked so hard for. Everything I have committed my life to, all that I know."

"No. I'm asking you to fight with me, not against me. To fight for something... to fight for me." Rey's eyes glanced down as her voice softened. "Is there really that much of a difference between the Resistance and I?"

Her eyes slowly drifted up to meet his, and instantly Kylo's features lessened their readiness for attack.

"Rey... The Resistance..." He shook his head. "It's your weakness."

"No, they're my family, my friends. Some of them, are yours too."

At that, he sneered, rolling his eyes away from her.

"It's true!" Rey stated, her voice growing loud again. "Your mother is waiting for your return, along with Chewie, no matter what has happened, no matter what has been said. They still have faith in you! And Flora and Kai, they would have never gone if they didn't believe in our word that you-"

"Enough!" he roared, loud enough to make Rey jump back as she closed her mouth from interrupting again.

Instead of speaking, Rey focused on her surroundings, pushing into his mind with full force, seeing exactly what held him back. The sudden attack to his mind shocked him, unable to push her out in time.

The deep, excruciating guilt knocked the breath out of her, the guilt he carried with him everywhere, growing deeper and deeper with every thought he had, and every step he took. His mind was...consumed. Consumed by need, and by suffering.

His only solace that his mind revealed was...

Was her.

Rey's eyes widened slightly, her lips parting as her heart clenched.

Somewhere in the back of his mind...In the depths of his heart... He unknowingly aimed to seek the comfort and care she provided, the challenges and the strength empowering him in ways he hadn't been tested before...

It was more than that... It was tenderness he desired form his mother... It was pride and joy that he wanted from his father... It was a love he wondered about in a companion.

Her eyes drifted to the ground, her vision blurry with tears as she, too, wondered what any of those things felt like, knowing she felt that same protection and power in the presence that is Ben Solo.

Gulping, her eyes timidly drifted up towards his, and she noticed then that he was not as upset as she had been expecting. His breathing was deep and hard, his eyes soft and almost embarrassed...He was already beginning to close himself off from her.

Shaking her head, Rey said with a shaky breath, "You know all of my weakness already. It's only fair that I know yours."

His soft, dark eyes pierced hers, freezing her in the silence that surrounded them before his quiet tone answered, his gaze never leaving hers.

"My weakness..." His jaw tensed with his admission. "I thought that was obvious already."

Their eyes stayed on one another for a long moment, letting the statement sink in before he turned away from her, and made his way to the hut.

For a moment, right before she followed, Rey wondered if this is what love felt like.

( X )

Author's Notes: I was off today! So I belted this puppy out! Lol. Leave me some love!?


	43. Chapter 43

She made sure to give him some space.

From a mile away, she could still feel the tension in the air as if he were right in front of her.

Both Rey and Kylo were equally confused, equally frustrated.

Sighing, Rey kicked away a rock as she slowly made her way back to the hut, throwing her head back as she peered up at the sky.

'Stars... What will I do?' she asked, a silent plea flowing from her.

Rey felt her head begin to throb with so many questions on her mind. She was beginning to be impatient, far too eager to know the outcome of Kylo's choice about joining her or not. In Rey's mind, she felt their bond growing, and unable to deny it, her feelings grew for him too.

Mindlessly, her fingertips brushed at her lips as she remembered the way he had kissed her.

'The way a man kisses a woman...'

Her cheeks began to warm, her stomach doing flips at the memory of his body pressed up against hers, his hot breath against her ear...her neck...

Rey felt a small tremor soar through her.

How was this man able to cause this reaction from her? She just did not know. Everyone in the galaxy feared him... This man was their nightmare... the Prince of darkness... The Supreme Leader...

Yet...

Yet... She has witnessed another side to him... A side that has shown her care, and safety. She felt protected and capable when she was with him. Even through his aggression, he was reliable, and that stood out to Rey in more ways than she could count.

Shivering, Rey looked around the woods, glancing from tree to tree. It was strange to her, this weather here. One day it was as hot as Jakku, the next it was windy and cloudy, or even storming. Today though, it was starting to get cold, the chill in the air made everything appear grey.

Her brows furrowed as she focused on the sky.

'White clouds...Grey sky...'

With that, Rey made her back to the hut.

( X )

He was irritated.

Giving too much information to the enemy... to the scavenger...

Kylo could hear the remarks that Snoke would make, the disappointment and disgust in the pits of his eyes.

He rolled his eyes, throwing the memory away.

Snoke was no longer his concern.

The only thing that mattered was getting the throne back, as soon as he killed that damned Hux.

The name alone made him sneer.

The throne was rightfully his. Hux would never be able to maintain it, nor be a rightful leader, the pure thought of it nearly made Kylo laugh.

Yet, here he was...In Arrowmada... With Rey... As Hux overtook his rule.

Running a rough hand through his hair, Kylo sat in the large chair that sat in the middle of the lounge area, full view of his books and desk, debating if he should start a fire now or later.

His thoughts swiftly drifted to the image of Rey, her skin glowing from the reflection of the fire.

Kylo moved to rest his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward, trying his best not to curse the stars out loud.

It seemed no matter what he thought about, no matter what he did, his thoughts always came back to her.

'My weakness.' he had admitted.

Clenching his jaw, he nearly spat at the memory, feeling weak. There was no defiance in the fact, she was weakening him beyond measure. From the time he had killed his master, and when he offered his hand to Rey, to propose they rule together, side by side... And now, for the third time, saving her, his enemy.

This time, he really did curse the stars aloud.

If he truly believed her to be an enemy, he would not have saved her skin several times...He would not have called her his everything...Or his weakness...And he would not have kissed her as he did...Dreamt of her as he did...

The woman was becoming the death of him.

Sitting up, Kylo leaned back against the chair, his head thrown back as he stared up at the ceiling of the hut, just as the front door opened.

Rey shot through, stopping mid-way in the lounge to glance at him. Kylo did not move from his seat, only watching her every move with his eyes as they followed her. Their eyes met, no emotion appearing on either of their faces as they studied one another for a moment before she moved to his desk.

His eyes opened a little more as he watched her, curious as to what she was doing.

Kylo picked his head up from the chair, staring at Rey as she moved his desk over, sliding it against the wooded floor. He grew instantly annoyed as he saw scratching along the wall that was hidden by his desk, an obvious marking point for her.

Silent, intrigued, and annoyed, Kylo watched her still as she sat on the ground in front of the wall, taking out a small dagger from the wrappings on her arm and scratched a tally onto the wall.

Right then, he realized the rest of the markings were tallies, some of them were inside of a square or triangle.

With his frustration at a new high, Kylo crossed his arms.

"Why not use paper?" he asked in a bored and aggravated tone.

Rey stopped mid scratch, turning her head to the side, as she considered what he said. Her face revealed she hadn't even thought of using paper.

After a moment, she resumed her marking, this time etching a circle around the tally.

Running his hand over his face, Kylo unclenched his jaw. "What is this? What does it mean?"

Rey finished her marking, dusting her hands off as she slid the dagger back into her wrappings and turned herself to face him, still sitting on the floor.

"Tallies, for every day that we've been here. So far, fifteen days. The squares are for sunny days, the triangles for rainy, and now the circle... I think that white, cold dirt might fall."

Kylo stared at her.

Under his gaze, Rey began to blush from embarrassment as Kylo quickly picked up on it. He didn't need to push into her mind to see she was already thinking of their first battle on Starkiller Base.

Against his will, Kylo couldn't help by admire the innocent description she gave before he answered.

"Snow. It's called snow."

Her eyes seemed to brighten before she looked away, tucking the information deep into her mind.

"It was your first time experiencing it?" He asked, this time trying to keep up the bored tone, though he failed.

"Yes. I heard stories about it on Jakku, but I always thought it was a myth." Rey glanced towards him, her eyes meeting his. For a moment, they held their gaze against one another, the silence filling the room. Rey looked away, rubbing her hands together. "Is it... Normal?" she timidly asked.

"Yes. Though on Arrowmada, the weather is highly unpredictable. It could be sunny one hour, and snowing the next. I'll start a fire soon. It will be cold tonight..."

Kylo trailed off just as MOX wobbled his way to them from the kitchen, a small cloth draped over his arm.

"Master Ren, Lady Ren, will I be co-" MOX quickly stopped, his shiny arm shooting up to his head as Kylo shot glass daggers at him with a single look.

Lady Ren?

Kylo could feel the blush creeping up on Rey's cheeks, the warmth reaching him through their bond.

It drove him mad, the thought of her warm skin alone was... absolute havoc for his own mind as he recalled her skin against his... her soft, untouched lips on his...

Curse the bond...

Curse her...

And curse this damned bot.

MOX performed another nervous wobble as Rey looked away.

"Apologies, Lady Rey... Master Ren... Would you like me to prepare meat of the deer for dinner? A hot, hearty meal for the incoming snow storm..."

"That's fine." Kylo answered, his voice stern. MOX took the hint, quickly backing away and returning to the kitchen.

Kylo's eyes shot back to Rey, watching her again as she brought her knees to her chest, resting her chin on one of them. In this moment, she seemed more relaxed than he had seen her previously since he had known her, even when they had touched hands during one of their bonds.

Unable to resist the urge, he peered into her thoughts, a small smirk coming to play at the corner of his lips.

She quickly felt him, growling in frustration at him as she glared. "How many times must you be reminded? Stay out my head!"

A full smirk displayed on his face, Kylo couldn't help the surge of confidence that coursed through him, taking the opportunity by force to tease her more.

"Rey, I barely have to push at all now. Our bond is strengthening. With that in mind, maybe it'd help your embarrassment if you didn't think about us so much."

Rey's lips parted in disbelief. She was torn on stalking out of the hut and staying the night in the forest, or just smacking him across the face now.

Never in her life has someone been able to make her so irritated so quickly.

Her cheeks burned red and hot, part of it from being so heated over his comment, and part of it because she was caught thinking of him, again, and the way he kissed her and had grabbed at waist. Her stomach had been pooling with warmth, an intense pull to him just as she felt him enter her mind.

No...

How dare he.

Rey's eyes narrowed at him.

"You think you're so innocent, too? I felt exactly how that kiss affected you." Rey stood now, stepping closer to him. Kylo's eyes stayed on her, never leaving her as she moved.

He was absolutely fascinated with how quickly she grew to be frustrated, eager to accept his challenge and to match it, exceed it even.

She continued, "I know our bond is strengthening. I can feel it, in every way we move, in every glance we steal..." she was standing over him as he sat, and as her eyes grew dark his mind began to get hazy, his senses overwhelmed by her.

For a moment, he wondered if he was being mind tricked...

Rey bent down, her eyes peering into his as she met him at eye level, her face getting closer to his.

She felt a thrill kick in, somehow forming the atmosphere to her liking, taking it in her grasp and squeezing until his senses were mute, his vision surrounded by nothing but her.

Unsure if it was the embarrassment he purposefully caused her, or the intrusion on her mind that angered her, but Rey felt fully charged and ready to attack, ready to return the teasing he had given her.

She felt the force around her, working with her to avenge her nerves. The power she felt was calming, almost as if she was meant to handle this amount of control she held over him...

And it shocked her, shocked her to feel so thrilled by it, excited to see that it was working...

For once, not scared to use it.

For a brief moment, she wondered if it was because of his teaching, or maybe even the experience with Kai.

However, in this moment, nothing else mattered as she continued, her face so close to his, her tone growing low.

The tone soothed Kylo as she peered into him, taking him whole and picking him apart.

"I can feel your mind trembling... You're scared... You're scared that you like this... You're scared of being wanted... Of wanting..." Her heavy, lidded gaze dropped to his lips.

The air around him was full of her...Of her scent... Of her being...Of her force...

Kylo gulped, his own hooded gaze staring at her as he waited for another assault... For another move...

Rey was leaning over him now, her lips nearly touching his...

"I can feel this pull now... It's a hunger we both share... It's... confusing...It's taunting...It's calling me. It's calling you..."

Her sweet breath hit his face, his eyes nearly closing as he felt her lip brush his as she spoke...

He couldn't... Find his mind...

Yes...

This was a mind trick.

His senses awakening, his hand shot out, gripping her by the throat, though he made sure not to squeeze too tight. She stepped back as he stood, never letting her go as he walked until her back was pressed hard against the wall behind her.

Rey looked up at him, and he down at her.

Their eyes were still dark and hungry, the push and shove game still in play.

The damned scavenger succeeded in tricking him, even for a moment...It was so quick, so subtle...

"Listen here," his thumb pressed into her neck as a small smile formed on her lips, reminding him of his dream... "I am not a man to beg, and I never will be, scavenger-"

"Because, everyone gives you what you want, spoiled brat." Rey bit, playfully. Though the way she said the pet name, she almost sounded disgusted...

It, oddly, made his arousal grow.

"Tell you what. I will not kiss you again until you ask me to. And you will. You truly believe you can best me?" He asked, amusement creeping into his eyes.

"I have before." Rey tested.

Kylo adjusted his hold on her throat, refusing to let up.

"And I could have easily killed you both times."

Rey smirked as she moved her foot between his, her movements limited with his grip on her. Unable to think clearly, she chalked up the warmth in her core to the animalistic urge that was rising within her.

"Tempted?" She asked, and they both glanced down to each other's lips.

"Rey..." he voice called to her in a soft tone, sucking her into a void that was not able to come back from. Her eyes still on his mouth, she tried to move toward him as much as she could, his firm grip still on her neck. Rey tipped her chin up in hopes of catching his lips with her own, eager to feel the same sweet, warmth as before...

Her mind was spiraling, this new and unfamiliar need growing more and more as her core trembled, a strange ache she hadn't experienced for another being before.

'Rey...' he repeated in her mind as her hooded gaze slowly met his again.

She was trapped there, in the world of desire... and temptation...

His grip slowly slid to the back of her neck as his head bent low into her neck, his lips skimming over the flesh he was just holding. Rey's head leaned back as her eyes shut, her breath hitched with anticipation.

"... So soft...What a dream..." he whispered against her skin.

What a dream...

Dream...

Rey's eyes shot wide open, shoving him off of her, feeling his presence on her mind slip away as she pushed him back.

The bastard tricked her... And he found the dream...

Rey's cheeks went bright red.

Kylo was already smirking at her as he straightened his tunic.

Her embarrassment and anger came flooding back, taking place of the lust.

She was so overcome by the emotion that she couldn't even register what she was doing next.

Without control, she walked straight up to the still smirking Kylo, and her hand shot out, smacking him across the face.

His hair flew in waves, his jaw tensing.

Silence filled the air after the loud slap of her flesh on his face...

Rey's eyes went wide as the moment settled, and Kylo's head slowly turned back to her.

Amusement still struck his eyes, though she could see anger beginning to turn his face red as his nostrils flared.

He was already taking one long step to her, instantly backing her up against the wall again just as MOX entered the room again.

"Master Ren, Lady Rey! Dinner has-" MOX stopped mid-sentence as he interrupted the two. "Oh, I beg your pardon, Sir. Dinner has been served!"

Kylo did not take his eyes of Rey as he answered the droid. "We'll be there shortly."

MOX wobbled out of the room, leaving Kylo to stalk right up to Rey, his body pressed against hers, both of their breathing heavy.

"Leave it for training. Do that again, and I will not hesitate to return it." Kylo warned.

Rey stared at him for a moment, her chin high up in the air as she refused to be scolded, even though she felt bad...

She moved to glance to the ground, and his finger shot out, catching her chin and turning her up to him again.

He dipped his head to hold her look, and her breathing hitched once more at the deep gaze he was giving her.

"And I meant it. I will not kiss you again until you ask me to."

Kylo stepped away from her, turning to go to the dining area of the hut, stopping when she called out.

"You had a similar dream. I didn't see it, but I felt it there, when you saw mine."

Kylo stayed with his back to her, turning his head to look at her from the corner of his eye as she continued.

"You could easily be the one to ask me to kiss you."

He smirked.

"We'll see." he replied, turning away from her as his mouth formed a half smile, the first time for him in a very, very long time.

( X )

Author's Notes: Leave me some feedback please!? Maybe I'll bust out another chapter tomorrow... :D


	44. Chapter 44

They tentatively sat across from one another at the table as MOX hobbled around, carrying their large plates and placing them in front of both Kylo and Rey.

As he placed Rey's down, Kylo watched her eyes grow wide at the amount of food while he unfolded a black cloth and laid it over his lap.

Rey waited until MOX walked away before she tore into the meat with her hands, tearing off the meat from the bone and quickly popping it into her mouth.

Kylo's hand hovered over his own utensils, amused at how quickly she was eating.

This was the first time they had shared dinner together, usually he was in the washer as she ate before they switched places after training.

Each of her fingertips were covered in grease and spices, and as she finally looked up from her near empty plate, she popped the last bit of meat into her mouth and looked up to meet Kylo's gaze.

He was watching her...

More than likely the entire time she had been eating.

Rey's eyes drifted down to his hand that hovered over the utensils, and she glanced down to the side of her own plate, realizing the same tools were there for her as well.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she sucked her fingers clean before drying them with the folded cloth next to her plate as she leaned back in her chair, kicking her feet up onto the table.

He smirked at her. "Lovely manners. Does MOX not prepare you any breakfast?"

Her eyes narrowed even more. "He does."

"So, what's the hurry?" he asked, taking a slow, deliberate bite of his food as Rey watched.

"I just... I don't know. On Jakku, I never knew when I'd get my next meal. Call it an old habit."

The answer interested him as he involuntarily leaned forward in his chair. "And what would you do?"

Rey shrugged. "Scavenge. Try to find the best junk I could, hunt if I could bare the heat. After a couple of days, I'd get desperate... Steal, if I absolutely had to..." Rey made sure to leave out how she'd even turn to bugs if need be.

"Hmm..." Was all he said.

They watched one another some more as he finished his own meal.

She caught glimpse of his cheek, still pink from when she had slapped him. Her own cheeks grew hot as she replayed it over and over in her head, embarrassed and disappointed that it had happened.

"Don't." He said, studying her face, his eyes intense and hard on hers. "It's a solid reaction you had, I deserved it. Heed my warning, though."

Kylo nearly smiled at her, and the look made Rey's heart stop.

'Heed my warning.'

Rey wanted to laugh... Even when he threatened it the first time, she could feel what a lie it was, their bond singing with his fib. As Rey glanced down, she let the smile come to life on her lips.

The way she smiled...

The dimples that creased on her cheeks...

It made his heart stop, knowing that he was the only one here to steal it, to watch as it bloomed to life.

She was the sole cause for the way his world was crashing and burning.

It was nearly delicious in the way she did it.

The way she approached his challenges, his attitudes, always matching exactly what he gave... It was thrilling. As her eyes drifted to his once more, her lashes fluttering upwards, he noticed her eyes still had a hint of sorrow.

He softly shook his head, a smirk still at his lips.

There was no doubt now that he had experienced it first hand, that she was growing stronger, having been able to finally being a mind trick on him, and then raise her hand to him. He recalled as his head had whipped to the side the moment her hand made contact, his cheek stinging and ears ringing.

No one had dared to touch him, let alone smack him.

He admired her courage, and her raw emotion as she rode it out.

It was pleasurable to see.

From across the table, he watched as she shivered before crossing her arms.

With a quick sigh, Kylo stood from his chair, sliding his plate to Rey to let her finish the last few bites, which she quickly accepted.

"I'm going to gather wood for a fire. Try not to cause too much trouble, use paper if you feel the need to write, and don't lay a hand on MOX."

Rey watched as he swiftly left the hut, stifling a chuckle, just as he did the same.

( X )

Later, in the middle of the night, Rey lay in bed, in and out of sleep as her mind played her a nightmare every time she had closed her eyes.

She was on the island, the same island she had dreamt about so many nights when she was alone in Jakku. This place in her dreams was a safe haven, untouched by any darkness, a place of light and peace.

Waves crashed in the background, overlapping one another as she slowly walked down a pebbled path, making her way to a ruined building at the end of the path...

This part was new.

On this night, she had dreamt of this three times, making it right to this point before the screams started...

It was own screams, screams of when Kylo killed Han...Of when Kai died...

Though this time, her body refused to let her wake up, instead, her hands covered her ears as she began to run to the catacombs, tripping over rocks and pebbles in her way, the screams grew louder the closer she came.

Tears streamed down her face, her palms pressing into her ears so hard that it began to throb with pain. The moment she set foot on the first step of the catacomb, the screams abruptly stopped, the only sound in her ears was the ocean...

Rey quickly looked around for any other sign of life, for anyone to answer the confusion, the sadness.

She was alone here...

'So lonely... So afraid to leave...' his voice called to her mind in the distance.

Her eyes widened, again looking around her to find him, knowing he'd help her... Knowing she'd feel better with his presence.

'So lonely... So afraid to leave...' his voice said again. Rey turned, realizing the source of his voice was down in the catacombs, the long staircase descending deep down into the ruined building.

Hesitantly, she made her way down, each step activating a torch that hung loosely on the brick walls. Her heart beat faster, the throbbing in her ears beating hard now as she continued to follow his voice.

Reaching the bottom floor, Rey now stood alone in a small room, a glass tomb sat along the farthest wall, covered in vines and moss.

Her eyes widened, her cheeks still wet from her tears as she forced herself to approach it, already knowing what she'd find...Her breathing hitched as her body prepped a sob.

In the glass tomb, lay Ben, his arms at his side, his eyes closed without a wrinkle on his face.

Rey fell to the floor, a sob creeping out from deep within her as she clutched at her chest.

'You're not alone...'

( X )

'Neither are you...'

Kylo shot up from the couch where he slept, the fire cackling from the fireplace.

His breathing hardened as he glanced around the dark, empty room. He was equally confused, and part of him hated to admit it, but he felt... frightened.

He had just been dreaming of the ocean...Rey's screams pierced the air in his mind, relentless until he stepped foot on the steps leading to a forgotten catacomb.

What lay inside the building scared him more...

Rey...In a glass tomb...Unresponsive as he tried to break it open, to save her, to bring her to him...

Nothing worked.

He felt an anxious pull in the center of his chest.

He felt...He felt as though he could have cried right then.

And that's when he heard it.

'You're not alone...' his own distant voice had called out.

'Neither are you...' she replied, her soft voice filling his ears, pushing away the worry as he shot up from his sleep.

So, here he was, awake in the middle of the night, as confused as ever while he moved to lay back down, his bare back against the couch.

Kylo shut his eyes, threatening the nightmare away, along with the damned screams that haunted him.

From the hallway, he heard a light shuffle and the fabric of the bedroom blanket swirling around on the ground, followed by soft footsteps approach.

Through his lashes, he watched as Rey looked from the fire, to him, tiptoeing around the sofa before she laid down on the ground in front of him.

He allowed her to settle down before he spoke.

"Cold?" he softly asked.

Rey knew he was awake, she could feel it through their bond, though it felt as though he had just woken up, the grogginess reaching her. She could sense he, too, had a nightmare.

Sighing she turned onto her side to face him, peering up at him on the couch, only a foot away.

"No." She answered, her jaw clenching as she willed the dream away...

He moved to sit up again. "Here. Take the couch at least." He muttered.

"No, that's okay, I pre-"

Rey was silenced by him softly gripping her wrist and hauling her up to her feet before pushing her down onto the couch and taking his own place on the floor where she was at.

After a moment, she let the shock wear itself off as she settled into his warm spot, trying her best not to stare at his bare chest as he pulled the blanket over his legs and let it sit low along his waist.

Gulping, Rey slowly laid down, turning to her side to face him once more. He was staring at the ceiling, paying no attention that she was studying him as he had done so often to her.

He seemed so...distant.

Her worried eyes watched him, her own mind heavy to-

Glancing down, she realized...

"Did...Did you have a nightmare, too?" she whispered.

His eyes shot to her, confused...The troubled look he had confirmed he did.

Behind him, the fire cackled, the bright light reflecting off of her face as she looked down at him. In that moment, he felt the weight of the nightmare leave momentarily as he admired her features, and just as she had said before, he didn't feel alone...

"Our bond is getting stronger..." she said. His gaze drifted down slowly, before he met hers again. Kylo slowly nodded.

"Do you think it will stay like this? Forever?" She asked.

Kylo hadn't thought about it in all honesty. He knew the force bond was a very rare thing in their galaxy, and with limited information, it was difficult to tell.

"I'm not sure..." he answered.

Rey hoped it would... The idea of having someone, always, even just a friend...It brought such a complete and concrete feeling to her world, a world where she was no longer alone, the deafening lonesome she knew they both shared would be destroyed...

They would, in the end, have each other.

Her heart swelled.

Kylo thought the same, having one another in the corner of their being after everything, after living out their lives together or not, they would still have each other there... For a reason he could not explain, he felt comforted at the strange idea.

Watching him still, her hand slowly moved from her chest, timidly approaching his face. When she was an inch away, he saw the movement, and moved out of her reach, unprepared for any contact.

Her hand paused mid-air, her eyes meeting his with a silent plea. She felt him relax after a moment, resuming his previous place.

His eyes fell away from her, letting Rey touch his face... His hair...

Her fingers lightly moved a lock of his hair out of his face, her fingertip brushing his cheek, scorching it with warmth and softness he hadn't experienced before.

Rey's index finger traced over the scar across his face, starting from his brow, down to his jaw...

The scar she branded him with.

Kylo shivered at the touch, his flesh sensitive there...He tried his best to remain still, gulping the edge away as he focused on regaining his breath.

"I'm sorry..." she said.

His eyes shot to her, seeing the hunger...seeing the care...in her eyes.

She moved to withdraw her hand from his cheek, and his own hand shot up, grasping her hand in his and resting them against his chest.

It was unfathomable how easy it was to be with her...The serenity she wrapped him in was unimaginable.

Cushioning her head with her other arm, Rey didn't take her eyes off of his, feeling the relaxing energy take over her mind as her thoughts were completely washed of the nightmare.

It was all his doing...

The energy he emitted meshed with hers, and together they created a perfect bubble of calm and protection, a world she could easily rest in.

"Do you feel the pull, too? It's almost...It's overwhelming. It's powerful... and..."

"Seductive." He finished for her, his thumb mindlessly brushing over the back of her hand as he she moved to press her palm over his chest, marveling in how warm the other is.

"Yes... Seductive...It's almost as if... As if you were-" Rey replied, his own voice joining hers as they both came to the same conclusion.

"Made for me."

Their eyes locked, and their bond came alive at the revelation. Kylo and Rey's breathing synched up, their warmth became one and their heartbeat morphed into a single, steady tune.

Leaving her hand on his chest, Kylo's hand slowly made his way up to her face, his thumb tracing over her jawline, the knuckle of his index finger gliding over her soft cheek before brushing over the curve of her lip.

His eyes followed the movement before drifting back up to meet her eyes.

Very slowly, her head left her arm, moving down to get closer to his face, and he felt his own head lean up from the floor, aiming to meet her lips.

Half an inch apart, Rey stopped. "This doesn't count...Right?" she asked, worry plaguing her soft, warm tone.

The corner of his lip turned up, a small hint of a smile that made her heart flutter.

Right then, Kylo's hand moved behind her neck, softly tugging to bring her closer as their lips met, a soft kiss that soothed their wounds, calming their nerves. Waves of pleasure rolled off of the pair as they explored each other's lips.

Rey's hand drifted from his chest to his cheek as he deepened the soft kiss, his tongue tasting her as her core began to warm, and his member began to throb.

Their heavy breaths filled the air as Rey moved away momentarily, resting her forehead against his. Kylo moved to gently press a kiss against her cheek before he spoke.

"Sleep." Was all he said as he laid back against the floor, and she laid back against the couch.

He watched her blush, her cheeks already red from their kiss as she forced her eyes to close, her skin still illuminated from the fire, admiring her glow as he slid his hand over hers once more.

Through the night, he never let it go.

( X )

Author's Notes: SEE?!! REVIEWS MAKE ME UPDATE QUICKER. Back to back!

Lol, I just want to thank everyone who read this and reviewed it. It means so much to me and inspires me to produce more. Thank you thank you thank you! Hope you liked it, and no worries, more action is coming up!!


	45. Chapter 45

Over the next few days, Rey's training intensified.

Kylo pushed her in new ways, encouraged her to give the extra muscle, challenged her to rise, demanded that she not hold back. As each day passed, she was able to match his hits, strike for strike, able to block and counter.

She was regaining her strength, and then some.

Today, though, was different.

Early in the morning, on another cold and windy day, Rey made her way through the woods and to the training ground to join Kylo just as she did every morning, this time finding him at a large tree, so big she and Kylo would not have been able to fit around it.

Stopping to admire its height, Kylo spoke from behind her.

"Push it down."

Rey turned to meet his eyes, the dark and expecting expression on his face as it always was when she arrived.

"Push it down?" She asked, reaching towards her lightsaber.

His palm extended out, taking her weapon before her hand landed on it. Rey's head whipped to him, glaring at him now.

Rey stepped towards him, and his gaze hardened, jaw tensing as he held the lightsaber away from her fully out of her reach.

"Use the force. You can't be afraid of it. Push the root out from the ground," Kylo clipped her lightsaber to his belt, and Rey felt a surge of protection run through her, eager to have it returned. He pushed her shoulder to make her turn back to the tree. "Break apart the bark, and shred it to pieces."

"Shred it to-" Rey began to mutter, but abruptly stopped as Kylo grabbed her wrist and extended her palm out, leaving it mid-air as he stepped back again.

Rey gulped, looking from the ground and craning her neck to look to the top of the tree, though it was too far to see. The leaves clashed against one another in the wind, sending a small shiver down her back.

With a quick push, she tried to do as instructed...

The idea seemed like a waste of time, and it made Rey irritated that it was her first lesson for the day...Yet, why couldn't she do it?

Stretching her fingers, she tried again.

...And nothing happened.

Behind her, Kylo shifted from one foot to the other, adding to her annoyance.

Again, she tried.

Deep in the ground, she felt thin strands of root break, the dirt around it shuffling around from the tension.

Rey's jaw clenched, feeling frustrated and embarrassed that it wasn't happening. Lately, she had been using the force during training, but only when she absolutely needed to, when her and Kylo were dueling and he disarmed her, she would do the same.

It was the bare minimum, an instinct that kicked in when her body called for it.

And now, she was standing here, waiting for it to arrive, though she could feel her mind actively pushing it away.

Kylo approached her, standing directly behind as he placed his hand over hers one more, nudging the back of her leg to get into a fighting stance.

"Don't be afraid." he said, his breath tickling her ear. Goosebumps arose across her arms, her own breathing hitched. "You've done it before...You've allowed the force in... You became one with it. Control the power," their fingers extended once more towards the tree. "Control the energy."

Their bond opened, and as their fingers intertwined, Rey felt his own power course through her veins, both calming and exciting her, poking at the force inside her that she had laid to rest.

The core of their bond sang as it soothed her nerves, overtaking her senses so much that she didn't feel it when Kylo stepped away from Rey, his hand leaving hers.

A gentle hum filled Rey's senses as she felt the grass growing around her, the swift tickle of the branches waving in the air, the scent of death feeding life, and life feeding death.

As if it were the first time, Rey was in awe of the force mingling around her, enveloping her with wide, warm arms, and for the briefest second, her heartbeat sped up as her mind tried to turn on her, giving her the quickest taste of a memory when Kai was killed.

Just as quickly as the memory entered, it was escorted out of her brain, every trace of it erased. In the back of her mind, Rey could feel Kylo shifting her thoughts around, his presence subtle though firm.

He was protecting her...from herself...

With a shaky breath, Rey focused once more...Feeling the power rise within her, twirling itself seductively around the energy of the force. Determined not to be afraid of it, Rey allowed the power to do its work, and just as easily, the will to control came.

Turning her hand slightly, Rey's eyes slowly drifted open, watching the tree break free from the dirt, and floated into the air, dirt and debris falling back to the ground with a small hiss.

Refusing to let her shock take this moment, Rey gulped it down and stilled her hand, the tree in turn freezing mid-air.

And just like that, her fist clenched tight, and the large tree shattered, crumbling into small shards of itself, shredded and destroyed into pieces until it was ground into dirt, still floating in the space in front of both Kylo and Rey.

Ecstatic, Rey turned to Kylo with a big smile on her face, pleased with herself for being able to overcome her worries.

Kylo met her eyes, his eyebrow cocked as her smile slowly faded away.

"What...What is it? I did it. What now?" she asked, confusion plaguing her features.

For a moment, Kylo stood in his place as he admired the way her eyes grew bright with curiosity and frustration, her determined spirit rising to meet the frustrated side of her that was beginning to show now.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he slowly took a step towards her, standing at her side as he eyed the shredded bark in front of them as he spoke.

"Now, heal it."

Rey's head whipped up to him, the hold on the bark faltering before she regained her hold on it.

"Heal it? Are you ma-" Rey trailed off as she turned her eyes back to the pile of shards and dirt that was still floating in the air.

She felt his presence leave her mind, the pressure easing up he distanced himself entirely from her.

Knowing that he was beginning to shut her out, Rey dropped her hold on the bark, allowing it fall to the ground as she stepped in front of Kylo, facing him as she quickly shoved her way into his mind.

He growled at her, his block shoving her right out of his mind, of course, only after she caught a quick glimpse.

Stepping back, Rey tried her best not to feel defeated.

"You're showing me this, so that you'll never have to use it again? So that you'll never have to use the light to heal me?" she demanded.

Kylo glared at her, his chin rising in the air.

Rey mirrored his response, crossing her arms.

"And if I refuse?" she asked.

Kylo scoffed, craning his neck to meet her at eye level.

Rey's breath hitched. She truly hated when he did that... She felt vulnerable, as if he was searching a part of her that she herself couldn't see.

"Then it's your own death." Kylo replied.

Rey's eyes narrowed at him. "You wouldn't let that happen."

The remark made his body tense up.

Kylo himself knew he wouldn't...Hell, his own past actions proved he wouldn't allow it.

However, the fact remained. She needed to learn this.

His arm shot out quickly, catching her wrist. Rey's own body tensed up, gearing up for a duel that never came. Instead, Kylo turned her back towards the pile of rubbish in front of them.

Rey's breathing hitched as her back hit Kylo's chest, her body folding back against his warmth, his breath against her ear as he spoke.

"That same energy...Channel it again. Mend with it...Be with it..."Kylo trailed off.

Rey's eyes widened as she felt everything within her still, her blood warming as the force coursed through her once more.

With a trembling voice, she tried to finish his sentence, "Control it?" she asked.

"No," he gulped, releasing her wrist slowly. "Guide it."

Eyeing the shreds of bark, Rey used the force to raise it into the air again, twirling it all around, tempting and daring it to mend, silently begging for the pieces to fit back together and be one once more.

Disappointment arose from deep within her when it didn't work, frustration building on top of her own impatient being.

"I... I can't. It's not working." Rey confessed. "How did you do it?"

Kylo glanced down and away from Rey, his mind recalling the first time he had used the light side to heal Rey. His stomach turned at the memory.

"When...When I did it the first time, you were already dead...I was... "

'Desperate' his mind whispered.

He couldn't recall a time he was ever... that... before.

"The light came, after the dark tested me." He admitted. His voice was strained, as if his own body was refusing to say what had happened out loud.

Rey listened, her heartbeat quickening, the vein in her neck pulsing as it caught Kylo's gaze.

"But... The light...it's not coming to me...Not like it did for you." Rey said, her own gaze wavering.

"Rey..." Kylo trailed off again as he admired the features of her profile. The cold wind in the air blew her scent all around him, making all of his senses dizzy for the quickest moment.

"The light is already in you...Just as much as the dark... You just have to call to it..."

"It's...It's there?" Rey asked breathlessly, trying to calm her nerves. It was completely different from figuring that both the light and dark coexisted within her, and now, having it being said out loud, made it all more real.

It wasn't something Rey was ready to admit.

"Yes... Don't be scared...It's..." Kylo's hushed tone lowered even more. "It's beautiful."

Rey felt the raw honesty in his words, the word 'beauty' or anything related to it had never been branded to her before. The fact that it was him naming this coexistence that was within her, made her heart flutter, a delicate poke at her heart that made her want to try even harder.

Trying her hardest not to blush, Rey regained her focus on the brush in front of her.

She thought of the light for a moment, and what the light was to her.

In her mind, the answer she wanted to believe was easy.

Her friends, the resistance, all the people that had quickly grown to be the only family she had ever known, each of their faces creating a song of joy in her heart.

Though, she knew there was still a chunk missing.

No matter how many times she tried to find an alternative, her mind, her body, and her heart, all came to the same face that haunted her dreams, that saved her from her nightmares, the one of whom showed her belief and willpower.

The same face of the man that has shown her care, that has shown a side of kindness she hadn't experienced in any part of the galaxy...

The man that brought life to her, the man that was fixing his mistakes.

The man she was beginning to lo-

Rey gulped, her mind stopping itself before it could finish the realization.

Though her mind stopped, her heart did not.

She could not stand there and deny that he was a big part of her life, and with it, even if he didn't like it, brought light to her in ways she never knew possible.

And just as the light and dark coexisted with in her, so did Rey and Kylo in their own world, feeding and living off of the energy that they granted the other.

As Rey called the pieces of bark to shift around, finding their mate, she couldn't help the worrisome stab that poked at her belly, knowing fully well an awakening was occurring.

Possibility was born...

Grey, was born.

And in it, the force thrived.

( X )

She wasn't completely satisfied, though he was. The tree that Rey had shred to pieces was put back together, though it was mangled and imperfect compared to how it stood before.

However, it was standing now, and it was better than nothing.

Kylo couldn't help the smirk that tugged at his lip as he watched her circle the tree, brushing away some of the dirt.

"I'd hate to see the outcome of an actual person if this is all I could do..." she muttered.

He scoffed. "At least it's standing now." Kylo approached the tree as well, picking off a large shard from the tree with a loud 'snap' before letting it fall to the ground. "Remind me to never lose a limb around you."

Rey rolled her eyes, sighing as she shook her head, amused. She had to admit, she was proud that she was able to do at least this much, though the journey to get here was … tiresome.

She knew she felt the jolt in the force, the grey side electrocuting every nerve of hers awake. Rey only wondered if Kylo felt it, too.

Glancing down to the ground, she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

"You're tired." he stated, watching her face. Rey's cheeks were pink and sweat stained her forehead, her brown hair sticking to her face.

He admired her for a quick moment before she glanced his way.

"A bit. That really takes a lot out of you." Rey replied, turning her back to him as she shuffled away.

Kylo's gaze drifted back to her, landing on the dark red spots along her back, the wet stains appearing across her dark tunic.

His brows immediately furrowed as he took three large steps to catch her arm and keep her still before she could turn to face him.

"What is it-"

"You're bleeding. A lot. Your stitches have opened back up." He said, his fingers lightly tracing over the scars on her back from the device Vicar had his men stick on her.

Rey winced, feeling the pain shoot through her as he skimmed over it.

"I guess I did... I didn't even feel it."

Rey turned to him now, meeting his blank, stone face. She could tell, that when he had such a look as he did now, that he was trying to hide what he was truly feeling, which usually meant either worried or something similar to it.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "Don't be stubborn. I'll be fine." she said.

This time, it was Kylo who rolled his eyes.

"You needed new bandages. MOX has already torn up everything possible to make you comfortable. We'll have to make a trip to town."

At this, Rey perked up, the pain in her back subsiding momentarily.

"Town? When?" She asked eagerly. She had been dying to see anything besides the walls of the hut and the trees in the forest.

"Tonight, when it's dark out. The creatures of the town usually stick to themselves, but I'd rather not risk the chance of being seen either way." Kylo muttered.

"I'm coming with you." Rey declared, refusing to take any other answer.

He shot a cold glare to her, nearly pinning her where she stood.

As he opened his mouth to speak, Rey quickly objected. "No matter what you do or say, I will just follow you, so let's not waste time, shall we?"

Rey quickly skirted around Kylo, heading back to the hut as he watched her walk away, baffled and amused at how stubborn she was now being.

With a quick shake of his head, he glanced towards the tree she had healed, the pieces of bark all misshapen and deformed.

He wouldn't admit it to her, but he was proud that she was able to do this much, having gone into today's training session assuming that it would have taken at least the whole day to do the amount of work she did in the last two hours.

However, she surprised him.

She pushed herself, so much that she caused another awakening in the force, one so great that he felt it deep within the roots of the force that dwelled in his own being.

It consisted of so many new things to him, all unfamiliar and untested...

But, there it lay.

Grey force, powerful and gentle, light and violent.

A world within the force that harbored both light and dark, a peaceful war that simply was.

With a quick wave of his hand, Kylo sent the tree tumbling down back into a pile of debris as he followed Rey back to their temporary home, wondering what the awakening meant for both of them.

(X)

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the delay! But here is a new chapter :D I'm pretty excited for the next two, I've been planning them for forever lol. Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Comments make my world go round! (And they make me update next day, usually... :D) Thanks for reading!


	46. Chapter 46

A few hours later, Rey slowly trailed behind Kylo as they both made their way to town, roughly three miles away from their hut.

After today's training session, it was a quiet day for the pair, each of them silently thinking about the events of their day, mainly the change in the force they both felt.

Earlier, when they arrived back at the hut, MOX proceeded to stitch up the wound on Rey's back as she remembered the trail of thoughts that led to the change... and her revelation of her feelings for Kylo.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that nothing changed as far as either of them switching sides. In fact, at the end of the day, she knew for certain that she'd never be able to go to the First Order with him, not willingly. No matter how she felt, she knew it was wrong.

And now, with every step she took behind Kylo, her mind begged her to plead with him, to rush his own mind and instead beg him directly to return to the Resistance with her...

But she knew it wasn't right.

Just as her mentors had told her, if he was destined to go home with her, it needs to be his choice.

Sighing, Rey picked up her pace to join him at his side, their cloaks flowing in the wind behind them as the stars above illuminated their path on the dirt trail.

"Put your hood up. No chances." he muttered to her.

By the tone of his voice, she knew his mind was heavy as well, and in fact, it was.

The closer he was to Rey, the more difficult it was to remember what his mission was, what his end result was supposed to be. At the end of the day, he still didn't even know for certain what it was.

There was no way he could go to the Resistance...

Deep down, he still harbored a deep hatred for many of them, and in the galaxy, there were rules that needed to be followed, an order that needed to maintained.

He could be that man to bring forth the new order... To control it, and Rey at his side, to help shape it.

Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he was reminded that she was more than that...

She herself was the awakening in the force...

And the awakening in himself.

In all his years, amongst every star out there, she was different... And she treated him as an equal...

Something even he knew he was unworthy of, after all he had done in his lifetime.

Kylo Ren never pictured himself ever saying such a thing, let alone thinking it... Though instead of dwelling on it, he took it as proof of the change she was invoking, refusing to believe there was any trace of light within him, it was only Rey...

Just Rey...

That's all his life was now.

And that was something he was okay with.

( X )

Approaching the town now, the cloaked and hooded pair stopped to speak right outside of the town line, the roads lit up by strings of light, laughter and music filling their ears.

Rey eyed what she could see, studying the strip of stores just a few yards away.

The town itself was simple, she could tell immediately that the people and creatures were what made it home. It seemed warm, the residents seemed welcoming, a complete opposite of Cinnon'Ra.

A few tables were set up along the road, a couple creatures flocking to them to eye the goods the owners sold.

Rey couldn't help the small smile that played across her lips as she watched their transactions.

"Remember, keep your hood on. Do not draw your saber unless I do. The people here are decent, I've never encountered a problem. But it's been some time since I've been here. Be alert." He warned, peering down and watching her face to ensure she understood.

Rey nodded, taking the moment to search his face for any real sign of worry. She was satisfied when she found none, and tried not to think about how her heart skipped a beat as her eyes landed on the scar across his cheek, warmth already covering the depth of her belly with a sudden need...

It only grew when her eyes fell to the subtle facial hair he was growing having not had a razor to keep his face shaved.

His jaw tensed under gaze, the instant need filling the air between them. When Rey abruptly turned her back towards him and began walking again, his eyes quickly narrowed at her, unsure if the sudden desire in the air was from him or her.

Inhaling sharply, he followed her, easily catching up to her in only two short strides.

Glancing around, he didn't feel any detection of a threat, and used this time to excuse himself as they strode along the shops, the short, green owners all nodding a quick and warm greeting to them.

Rey began to slow once they approached the vendor tables, admiring the jewels and goods they offered.

Coming to a stop, Rey reached out to softly touch one of the pins that lay cushioned in a box.

It was a pin he had seen many times growing up, the pin of the Monarch. He never thought he'd see another...

Kylo tried to push past the thought of it being a sign, or even mere coincidence, and instead spoke so that only she could hear.

"Stay nearby. I'm going to the pharmacy, I should only be inside for two minutes, not any longer." he muttered, his breath tickling her ear.

Rey looked up to him, meeting his eyes. She nodded.

Reaching into the pocket of his cloak, he retrieved a coin bag filled with currency, taking what he needed before giving the pouch to Rey.

"Buy whatever you'd like." Kylo said.

With wide eyes, Rey gaped at the contents of the bag, not having seen such a large sum of money in her life.

"Ben, I can't..." she whispered, trying to give him the bag back.

"I have plenty more, I insist." he said before turning on his heel and heading inside.

Glancing around, Rey quickly shoved the bag into her cloak pocket before turning to admire the pin once more. It was some sort of insect, she knew that much. But this one, seemed so elegant, the jeweled bug crested in middle of blue and gold crystals and diamonds.

It seemed so powerful, royal in its simple nature.

Rey smiled, her finger skimming it once more.

A soft chuckle escaped the mouth of the vendor, a small, stocky and green creature that was watching Rey. As Rey looked up to meet their eyes, he smiled and nodded, his brows raising in hopes of her approval for the jewel.

Rey smiled back before readjusting her hood to cover her cheeks, glancing back down to the pin before she made her way down the isle of shops.

Each vendor and resident she passed eyed her, although they were more curious than anything. Through the force, she did not pick up any ill feeling from any of them, in fact, she felt very welcomed.

To her right, Rey spotted a group of children playing with a flat ball, obviously damaged from so much play. She admired how it didn't affect their fun, their grins on full display as they tossed their entertainment around.

Rey chuckled, watching as an older woman stepped out from the door of the home the children were playing in front of.

In a foreign language, the woman called to each of them, the kids dropping the flattened ball and running to her, eager to embrace her with their little arms. The smile that spread across the woman's face was warming and contagious as Rey's own smile widened.

The woman patted the back of each child as they ran into the home, eager for the meal that was waiting for them. Hearing the old woman chuckle, Rey continued to watch as the elder moved to stretch her back, throwing a dirty towel over her shoulder and peering up at the stars before she herself went back inside, the mangled and rotting door barely closing.

With her smile fading, Rey slowly made her way to the door, stopping to pick up the dirty ball.

Digging out the coin bag, Rey placed it in the corner of the door before placing the ball over it to conceal the pouch, then turning on her heel to join Kylo, who had been watching her from across the street.

Freezing for the quickest moment, Rey caught his curious and bored gaze, blushing under his study as she joined his side.

"You don't know them. You owe them nothing..." Kylo muttered, confused.

"I don't need that amount of money...They could put it to good use." Rey softly answered, glancing to the ground.

She couldn't help the small twinge of jealousy that hit her inside, the wish for a childhood that these children were experiencing...

The love, the freedom, the lack of worry. He supposed he could understand...

Clearing her throat, she met his eyes once more.

He felt the same jealousy course throughout him, unsure if it was him or Rey causing it...

Inhaling, he stood tall, banishing the all too human feeling away as he eyed Rey.

"Would you like to have dinner here?" he asked, watching her face.

She seemed surprised at the question. "Dinner? Here?" she asked, repeating his offer.

Kylo gave a single, long nod, almost unsure himself.

Before he could take it back, Rey quickly nodded. "Yes," she cleared her throat once more. "Yes, please. I'd like that."

She felt a quick wave of relief fill the air between them, and Rey knew for certain it did not come from her. Hiding her smile, Rey cast her eyes down, moving to begin the slow walk to a nearby restaurant that Kylo led them to, a fluttering sensation crossing her abdomen.

( X )

"Am I allowed to take my hood off?" Rey asked after they were seated and their drink orders were taken.

Kylo shot her an amused look, hesitating to feel the energy around them before he nodded, removing his own. She did the same, her dark hair tumbling around her shoulders.

For a few minutes, very long, dreadful minutes, they remained silent as they grew comfortable in the dim restaurant. It was cozy, and warm. The colors were dark and the ruby red draping only added to the romantic setting as lit candles sat at every other table, joined by soft, gentle whispers of the guests sitting there.

It was a beautiful place, Rey decided. A place she'd like to visit often.

"You like it here?" he asked, studying her face with such intensity that made her shift in her seat.

"Yes... very much." Rey answered.

The candle light flickered, shimmering off of his stern, handsome features.

His gaze trapped her where she was, the dark, possessive look absorbing her where she sat.

Blushing, she used all the strength she could muster up to shift her gaze away, moving her elbows on to the table as she leaned forward, her eyes meeting his once more.

Her own eyes froze him, stilling the atmosphere around them along with the people there. He sensed the primal side approaching from within her, catching him off guard. He wondered for a moment, if she felt the same about him as he did her...

"We used to have an agreement... about asking questions. Can we pick that up again?" Rey asked.

Kylo eyed her curiously, his brow twitching with amusement. "Yes, and that counts. Why do you like it here?"

He watched as her jaw tensed with annoyance, and his own lip moved to show the ghost of a smile.

"It's... Simple. It's as if no other place exists to them... There's no war here, there's no worries. Everyone seems to get along." She blinked a few times, searching for her next question. "Is this where you grew up?"

He sighed, craning his head to the side as he watched her. "No. Snoke sent me here for training."

Rey leaned in closer, her tone dropping as she glared at him. "There's more."

Kylo nodded slowly. "The word 'training' is putting it lightly." He said, the answer hung between them across the table, and for Rey, she did not particularly want to ruin his mood, so she did not press any further. "Did you feel it?"

Rey's brows furrowed, waiting for him to continue as she glanced to the ground.

Kylo leaned forward, matching her position with his elbows on the table. In any other setting, he wouldn't usually sit like this... However, the topic of which they were discussing called for discretion.

"The awakening." he muttered.

Rey's eyes flew back to his, searching his face for any sign of his own experience with it.

"I... Yes. I felt it." Rey answered, eyeing him still as she sat back against her chair. "I suppose it's safe to say you felt it. What was...what was your experience when it happened?" she timidly asked.

His expression never faltered, a master as concealment and Rey cursed him for it.

However, to her satisfaction, he did not hesitate with his honesty, a trait she had no other choice but to admire when it came to him.

"Acceptance. Grey. Control? It was subtle...But stern...And you?" he demanded.

Remembering the exact way she felt, she nodded. "The same. It was so vivid, and subtle. It was different than the others, it felt almost-"

"Natural." Kylo finished.

They stared at one another, both of them sitting with their own thoughts, still in awe at how connected they were to the other.

They remained silent for through their meal, a soft tune playing in the background as a few couples left their seats to share a slow dance.

With curious eyes, Rey watched them all, the memory of her dancing with Poe at Finn and Rose's wedding stroked her mind. But as she watched the couples slow dance now, she realized it was different than what she had experienced with him.

This was a soft and caring movement compared to the seductive one she had dealt with. Though she was unsure, she wondered if the atmosphere added to the subtleness, making it appear softer in her view.

"Your little dance with the pilot was nothing compared to this." Kylo intruded, waving off the waitress that was heading back with his change.

Rey's head whipped to him, already prepared to snap at him for peering into her mind, even for the quickest second.

As she opened her mouth to curse him, she quickly froze as he stood from his chair, his jaw clenching with tension as he readjusted his tunic, standing straight.

Rey felt his anxiety brush past her, as if he unintentionally let it slip by and was now reaching to gather it together before she could see.

With a slow exhale, he looked down at her, offering his hand.

For a moment, Rey was utterly confused on what to do, unsure if he was meaning for her to take it...or...

Glancing back to the odd couples slowly moving together, she realized.

At her hesitation, his hand moved to close, making Rey's hand swiftly reach up to meet his.

Again, a wave of nervousness hung loosely in the air, and again, both Rey and Kylo were unsure who it was coming from.

Gently, he led her to the area where a few couples were dancing closely, the soft tune continuing to fill their ears as Kylo tried his best to remember the lessons he was forced to take as a child.

His heavy palm lay at the small of her back, his other hand softly clasping hers as he led the way.

Rey tried her best to conceal her blush, almost wishing that she could have the same drink she had the night of the wedding just to calm her nerves.

Kylo took note of the pink crossing her cheeks as she looked beyond him.

Leaning down just slightly, he muttered, "It's your turn."

A small smile tugged at her lips as she moved to look up at him, meeting his eyes. "I never thought you'd know how to dance... You're quite good at this... Where did you learn?"

"It was required of every member in a royal family. I was forced to take lessons when I was a boy."

Rey blinked a few times before answering. "I forget that about you. That you -"

"Had a life before the dark side?" he finished, darkness itself creeping into his eyes.

Rey shook her head. "No... Well, I suppose. But it isn't all that's there now."

His brow raised. "It isn't? And what else is there?" he asked, his eyes tugging away from hers to admire the wisps of her hair.

"The caring side... The side that no one else sees, though I wish they did."

Kylo scoffed. "Caring. How juvenile."

Rey narrowed her eyes up at him as they continued their slow dancing. "It's true. If you didn't care, you wouldn't have saved me the times that you did, you wouldn't have taken care of Kai, and you wouldn't be training me now."

The statement made him grow silent, unsure of what to say since the evidence refused to let him deny it.

"And how are you so sure that it isn't part of my plan?" he teased. The look he gave her made her almost smile.

"You have no plan, unfortunately. If you did, I'd know it. We're too connected. I suppose there isn't hiding anything from one another now."

He swallowed hard, silent for a moment again.

"I suppose not." he replied.

"Do you like it? The... connection?" Rey asked, genuinely curious for her own sake. Her mind needed confirmation that she was not the only one who felt a sense of comfort with their bond.

"It's... I haven't experienced anything like it." He admitted.

Her hand left his to rest on his other shoulder, and his other hand went to rest on her waist. Their closeness made her body warm, and his own began to tingle.

"Me neither. But... Ben. Why is it so hard for you?" she asked, a small shake of her head. "Why is it so hard for you to choose...Am I...-" Rey trailed off.

Her eyes glanced away from him, and he felt a heartbroken energy fill her for a brief moment.

'Am I not enough?'

The question was spoken to herself, but through their connection, it was loud enough for him to hear.

A hot, stabbing pain pierced his stomach, an eager sadness that he had once felt himself when he was just a boy being shipped off away from the only family he had ever known.

It was a sense of rejection, a lonesome road that he never cared to travel down again...

There was no way of denying that he did not want the same feeling to overcome Rey, and with her spoken words, he refused to let it be hard for him to answer...

"Rey... It's not that...It's never that." His heart began to beat heavily in his ears. "I was born into this darkness, it was the only thing I had ever known...The only thing that came naturally to me. You were abandoned on Jakku, surviving was the only thing you knew. Do you remember how hard it was? To accept a life outside of the heat, outside of the survival?"

Kylo gulped as Rey turned her wide eyes back to him. "The fact that there is even a choice to be made, when all I believed there to be was darkness..." he trailed off, sensing the end of the song approaching. "Rey, you are a light in the galaxy that no star nor moon could match..."

Rey's eyes were intent on his, her heart clenching with such tenderness and bewilderment, the same feeling coursing through her as it did in the forest earlier that day.

The words were on the tip of her tongue...

She knew she meant every single one of them...

Before she could speak, the end of the song played out, and Kylo gently tipped her back, dipping her slowly and gently as he pressed a small, soft kiss to the skin exposed beneath her cloak at her throat.

The few couples that were dancing with them had already stopped, clapping at the beautiful time they shared, already heading back to their seats by the time Kylo gently pulled Rey back up, her chest pressed against his as their hooded gazes met.

Her breathing heavy, Rey blinked, wondering if he'd kiss her.

For a moment, he stared at her, his head bent to her as if it were the first time...

And instead, he reached into the pocket of his own cloak, pulling out a small gift, his movements painfully slow as if testing the energy to see if now were the best time...

Glancing away from her, Rey noticed a pink streak redden on his cheeks as he held his palm out to her, opening to reveal the monarch pin she had been admiring.

Rey's heart stopped.

"Rey..." he gulped again, his jaw tensing with stubborn inability as he struggled to speak. "If you are able to believe that an unworthy monster is capable of caring, then you are strong enough to see you are more than enough for any one, and anything."

Gently, he placed the pin in her hand before walking past her to gather their belongings, heading out and starting the journey back to the hut, leaving Rey alone in the restaurant, looking down at the pin with tears in her eyes.

( X )

The walk back was silent, the cold air surrounding them as the stars accompanied the pair. The pin he gifted Rey was proudly displayed on her cloak, the crystals catching her attention when she moved a certain way under the shining stars.

Every time she caught sight of it, she couldn't help the loving smile that followed.

The town of Arrowmada would stick with her forever, and this night, would stick with her even longer.

Approaching the hut, Rey watched as Kylo disappeared inside, knowing it took a lot from him to admit what he did tonight. Either way, she was grateful, and surprised.

She only wondered if he knew what it meant to her, if he knew the spark of hope he ignited in her once more.

Sighing, she entered the hut, walking to the kitchenette.

From the window, she peered out at the ship that sat out there, the one Kylo had taken from Cinnon'Ra. It had been a while now since her last contact with her friends in the Resistance, and she knew she had to check on them.

Glancing down at the pin, she decided tomorrow would be a better time as she grabbed for a glass of water when MOX entered in behind her, wobbling to the counter.

"Oh! Well, welcome back, lady Rey! Refreshments have been stocked, would you like me to whip up a meal for you or Master Ren?" he asked.

Rey smiled, turning to the droid. "No thank you, MOX. We already at-"

His mechanical arm shot up to his mouth. "Oh, my! Congratulations, madam! The Pin of the Monarch! How exciting!" he exclaimed.

Rey's smile slowly drifted away into a confused chuckle. "What? The Pin of the Monarch? Ben surprised me with it just a little while ago..."

"Oh! Well, yes! The Pin of the Monarch! It um-" MOX gave an excited and anxious wobble. "Well, in the royalty line, the Pin of the Monarch is gifted from the King to his beloved...An expression of love, and admiration!"

Rey's eyes fell to the ground, her heart beginning to pump hard again.

For a moment, her mind tried to convince her that MOX had no idea what he was speaking of...

But looking around, her eyes flew across the room from book to book, to MOX, and back to the pin that lay on her chest.

MOX knew this place, in fact, MOX was built by Ben himself, and she was sure he would not make a droid that would slip up with a mistake like this...

Her eyes stung once more at the realization, cursing herself for not seeing it sooner...

This was his way of saying it... the words she wanted to hear, the words that she didn't quite know herself.

MOX began talking to her again, though her mind was too busy to pay any attention to him.

"... And what do you know, berry milk!" the droid nervously rambled on.

Her skin hot, her belly tingling, her eyes stinging and her heart racing, Rey brushed past him.

( X )

He sighed.

What a long night.

He had no intention of the events leading them back home... But he couldn't deny that he didn't enjoy it. He was... the feeling he had about Rey... it was...

Sighing again, he ran a hand down his face before gripping his chin for a second.

Rey was drowning him, and he refused to fight it.

A swift knock at the bedroom door caught his attention from the dresser where he was standing at, draping his cloak over it.

Walking to the door, he opened it to see Rey's back towards him before she turned, her eyes wide, her chest rising with each heavy, nervous breath.

They stared at one another for a long moment, her hand cupping the Pin of the Monarch he had given her. Kylo doubted she knew the true meaning of it though he knew, and that was something he was fine with, in fact, he almost felt better with being the only one knowing.

However, the look she was giving him now made him question it, even for the quickest second before she stepped closer.

"Ben..." she licked at her lips, trying to say what she needed to.

He could sense it... He could sense what she was wanting to say...

His own heart froze, his mind tripping over itself. No...

No, it wasn't possible...

Yet, here she was...

Wordlessly, they stepped closer to one another, their eyes on one another as they each tested the boundaries.

With glossy eyes, she peered up at him as his hand flew to the base of her neck, softly touching the skin there. Her own hand reached up, brushing a lock of his hair behind his ear as their gaze softened, and together they leaned in closer, and closer yet, until their lips met and any hesitation they felt left their being as they melted together.

His arm gently snaked around her waist, pulling her in closer until there wasn't any space left between them, until his breath became hers, and hers became his. Their mouths clashed, a soft and eager dance created by the desire that built between them, their tongues tasting one another again until the only taste they knew was their bonded.

Rey's arms wrapped around Kylo's neck, her hand burrowing in his dark, wavy hair as his own hand did the same in hers, intertwining her locks around his gloveless fingers as their lips tore the other apart gently, exposing a side the other had yet to experience.

With a shaky, yet eager hand, Rey reached up to unclasp her cloak, letting it pool around her feet.

Kylo's eyes opened, slowly pulling his lips from hers, swallowing hard as he watched her. Rey looked up at him, her hooded gaze matching his as she reached for the belt around her waist, unclasping that, too.

Softly, his thumb skimmed over her collarbone, brushing back and forth, his eyes drifting down to watch the movement as his jaw nervously tensed.

"Rey..." he whispered, blinking to clear his mind, to clear his dizziness, to clear himself of Rey, because that's all he could see, all her could hear and taste and smell... Nothing but Rey...

"Ben... I... I lo-" Rey whispered, her own voice breaking as she began to say it out loud.

"I know... I know..." he trailed off as his mouth crashed back to hers.

His own breath was shaky, his heart racing in step with hers, their bond singing and freezing everything around them the closer they got, the grey light blinding the force around them as their blood heated, and their desire built.

His mouth moved from her lips to her cheek, to her jaw as he planted light, hot kisses along the line and down to her neck. Rey's breathing grew heavier if at all possible, her eyes shut as she tried her best not to shiver at the delightful way his soft, warm lips tickled her skin.

"Ben..." she called as his hand gently tugged the strap of her tunic down, exposing her bare shoulder. His mouth moved to kiss her there, his tongue darting out to savior her delicious taste.

"Ben... I've..." she breathlessly muttered as she shuddered at his touch. Slowly, Kylo moved back up to her mouth, his lips capturing hers once more in a sweet, passionate kiss. His teeth skimmed over her lip as her hand traveled to the back of her neck, his large palm cradling her head when his soft gaze opened to meet hers, their lips momentarily leaving each other's.

"Ben... I've never... been... with a man..." she quietly admitted, her cheeks flushed as she timidly glanced down, and back to his eyes.

Kylo's own gaze softened, leaning his forehead against hers.

"We don't need to, Rey. There isn't anything-"

Slowly, Rey brought her lips up to his, quieting whatever he was going to say. Rey knew what she wanted, and she knew what he wanted... She could feel it. She could feel it so vividly, alive in the both of them, humming in tune with their bond.

"I want to. Ben, I want you. Just you."

Kylo studied her, ensuring this was true, that she wanted this just as much as he. And with that, their lips met again, and her soft, eager hands tugged and pulled at his own tunic, unable to hide her smile as he showed her mercy and took it off himself, his bare chest gleaming in the soft glow of the dim lamp in the corner of the room.

Slowly, timidly, their clothes began to strip away – the clothing of the darkness that is Kylo Ren, and the clothing of the light that is Rey of Jakku – and leaving just Rey and Ben, two stars in their own galaxy.

( x )

Author's Notes: Ohhhhh mmyyyy gooossshh! Lol. A very long chapter! Hope you all enjoyed, and would realllly appreciate the feedback. ALSO, I would like to know your thoughts on posting a yummy mature rated chapter for the events following this entry? Let me know. Of course I will put a disclaimer before the chapter so no worries if that isn't your cup of tea.

Anyway, thank you all for reading! I really liked this, and hope you did to!


	47. Chapter 47

**ATTENTION: THIS CHAPTER IS STRICTLY RATED M, IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN READING, YOU WILL NOT MISS ANY PLOT DETAILS, AND I URGE YOU TO STAY TUNED FOR THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER. THANK YOU.**

( X )

Her tunic was hanging off of her shoulders, her tan skinned peaking over the cloth of her dark tunic as Kylo's mouth trailed across her collar bone.

His own tunic was on the ground a foot away, his chest was radiating heat onto her, warming her cheeks even more.

Kylo's hands were holding her, gripping the skin at her waist as they traveled up her spine, crushing her to him, creating a physical bond so tight that she felt he was freezing her there, as if someone was going to take her at any second.

Gripping the fabric of her tunic that gathered at her back, his mind spoke to her as he pressed another kiss to her neck, her shaky breath tumbling as her eyes closed, her head leaning back.

'Are you sure?' he softly asked to her mind, and Rey couldn't help but notice the quiet tremble in his tone.

Not able to trust her own voice, not even the one she'd speak with to his mind, instead, she slowly opened her eyes, meeting his dark, hungry gaze. Rey's fingers timidly went to touch his cheek, her fingertips brushing over his skin so lightly that he trembled as she traced over his scar, nodding her reassurance that she did in fact want this, even needed this.

Noticing the dark glint in her eyes burn darker as she traced over his scar, he felt the same primal energy return from her core, awakening the warmth within her and transferring into him, a sense of pride and satisfaction as her fingernail softly trailed down his scar.

Hungry with desire as he watched her, Kylo's fingers gripped the back of her black tunic, tearing it apart, filling their ears with the sound of ripping fabric and exposing her soft, milky skin as his own rough hands splayed across her back.

Rey's eyes shot up to his, a soft and quiet gasp escaping her parted lips as her cheeks reddened. She quickly gulped, determined not to shy away from his touch, and not to feel embarrassed as he slowly tugged the tunic off, casting it away to the side.

Her gaze shifted downwards as her hands flew to cover her nether regions, her nipples growing into hard buds as the cold air settled on her warm skin beneath his own gaze.

On Jakku, it was a normal thing for the women there to bare chested, though Rey herself still refused to walk around like that... It was true, Kylo would be her first, and before him, no other being in the galaxy had seen her as she was showing herself now.

Again, nervously, she gulped.

Kylo's black, tussled hair curled around his face in waves as he looked down at her, his knuckles brushing against her bare shoulder, drifting across her collar bone, up her neck until his thumb found its way beneath her chin, tugging her gaze up.

Hesitantly, almost too stubbornly, Rey's eyes focused on him, entrancing her there as his handsome, stern features hit her one by one, from the scar she had often admired, to his black, messy hair, his long nose and soft cheeks...

He himself was absolutely breathtaking.

Their eyes met, as if once more making sure this was what the other wanted.

In this moment, they both understood that they were giving themselves to the other... Completely.

Timidly, Rey's hands abandoned covering herself as she glanced down to his bare and muscularly toned chest, letting her hands spread across his skin as she felt every jagged edge of his muscles, of his scars.

Kylo's breath caught as she touched him, as she felt physical proof of his work from the battles and years of training. Her eyes trailed across every part she touched, her hungry, curious gaze slowly creeping up to meet his.

As he continued to peer down at her, his chest heaved with every deep, heavy breath. Burrowing his large hand in her hair, Kylo leaned down to meet her lips, her hot cheeks meeting his own as her lips parted, his own tongue darting out quickly to skim hers, tasting her and drawing out a soft moan from the depth of her being.

Needing no other encouragement, his other arm captured her, dragging her to him, and even beneath his pants, she could feel the proud, hard member that she had yet to explore poking at her abdomen.

Snaking his arm beneath her buttocks, Kylo lifted her, her palms flying out to hold herself up against his broad shoulders, knowing she had needed not to worry about falling.

His palm left her hair, traveling down her arm and landing on her hip, gripping her outer thighs as he moved her knee to his side, guiding her legs to wrap around him.

Doing as he silently demanded, she locked her ankles behind his back, her mouth never leaving his as her hands gripped him to her, nipping his bottom lip.

Kylo let out a low growl, igniting more sparks within Rey as she moved to kiss his cheek, and traveling down to his neck as he began to walk them to the bed.

Her mouth at his neck reminded him of the dream he once had, when his own teeth sank into her...

If at all possible, he could feel himself grow harder against her.

Pausing at the edge of the bed, before he placing her down, he nudged her away, her lazy eyes meeting his for a split second before his face disappeared into the crook of her neck, finding his target.

For a moment, Rey froze, unsure of what he was going to do, but feeling his warmth on her, she began to relax again as he planted a soft kiss at her neck, tasting her there with his tongue before she felt his teeth against her skin, a hard bite hitting its mark, sending vibrant jolts through her limbs, soaking her blood with heat as her stomach clenched with desire.

Her brows furrowed as her head leaned back, giving him better access as a raw, breathless moan escaped her.

Kylo's own breathing hitched as he heard and felt the reaction from Rey.

Even now, she still surprised him with how she sternly approved or disapproved of something, never taking a moment to fool anyway or waste anyone's time with indecisiveness. It was raw, it was pure.

And now, just as he bit her neck again, a bit harder this time, her hand shot up into hair, tugging and crushing him to her, no defiance in his body whatsoever as he obliged. Yes, he knew for certain she was loving it...

Though tasting her there, where her pulse throbbed, he had other ideas...

Pulling his mouth away from her, he met her lips once more as he gently placed her on the bed, making sure to be careful with her bandaged wound on her back.

Rey brought her knees up, hiding her center from his view.

Kylo couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips as his hands went to the band of his black pants, making quick work of the belted band, undoing them and tugging himself loose, his pants falling away.

Bringing herself up to her elbows, Rey leaned back against them as she curiously eyed his large and ready member.

Her eyebrows shot up, gulping at the size of it, unsure if she would be ready to take it...

For a second, she tried to reassure herself, telling her own mind that women and men have been doing this for years...

And now, here she was.

Her turn...

With Kylo Ren...

Quickly, she pushed the name away, focusing on the man that stood in front of her.

Slowly, her eyes traveled upwards from the protruding member that begged for her curious attention, passing the trail of dark hair that surrounded it and the light hair that led down to it from his belly button. Her eyes stopped momentarily to admire his abdomen, before trailing back to meet his eyes that were watching her hungrily.

She couldn't help but notice how mistakenly proud and confident he seemed of his body, and she only wished she could share the same feeling.

Kylo climbed above her, his own eyes admiring the lines of her stomach, the goosebumps that arose across her skin, and the soft way her breasts begged for his attention.

His eyes on hers, he watched as she gulped when he paused at them, his mouth leaning down to press a soft kiss directly on her heart, the deep, heavy beat vibrating through to him as one of his hands trailed from her leg and up her side before palming one of her breasts.

Rey's breathing hitched as Kylo's lips trailed from the center of her chest, leaving damp, warm spots as he found his way to the pink bud of her nipple, his tongue flicking softly against it.

Her eyes fluttered close as she shuttered, the wetness between her thighs growing more and more evident by the second.

Kylo's mouth closed over it, tasting and kneading as he gently bit and sucked away at her. Her soft moan filled his hearing once more, a sound he never knew he needed to hear.

It had truly been an experience so far, even just being here on Arrowmada with Rey was eye opening to so many worlds he had never dreamt of, never thought he'd ever partake in, yet here he was...

With Rey...

Belonging to her, and taking her just the same.

Giving her nipple one final taste, his mouth trailed downwards, kissing her ribcage as he passed, both of his hands at her hips, gripping her to him, liftering Rey to his mouth as he laid a few more kisses against her abdomen.

Scooting himself down, his shoulder nudged her knee over him, growing closer to his target, her scent filling his senses and casting a spell over him that only she could break, if she ever dared.

As Kylo drew closer to that part of her, Rey's eyes opened wide, her hands shooting out to cover herself again.

It was baffling that he was growing so close to her there...Surely that wasn't how this was done. And as she cast her embarrassed and appalled gaze down to his messy hair growing closer to the center of her thighs, she thought this must be...forbidden.

"Ben, I -" she began, her hands almost closing over herself...

Almost.

Kylo stayed motionless as Rey felt his force envelope her wrists gently, but with enough demand, pushing her arms above her head and pinning them to the bed as she wiggled beneath him.

Her cheeks grew hotter, her breath tumbling out of her mouth in small huffs as she tried to grasp what he meant to do.

And as a true marksman, a master at his trade, his mouth found its target, landing right on the center of Rey, his mouth pressing a soft and firm kiss to her, her wet desire kissing him back.

Rey gasped, her shaky breath escaping her as her hips involuntarily bucked against his mouth, causing Kylo's hands to grip her hips tightly, holding her to him as his tongue slid across her slit, preparing to devour her.

She struggled against his force hold, determined to end his teasing, to end this forbidden act he was daring to play with.

Refusing to allow her mind to be elsewhere, Kylo gripped her other knee pushing it to her chest to give him more room, and just like a flower blooming, she opened up to him, and his tongue delved into her, licking and teasing and pulling her to him.

Rey sharply gasped as she felt his slick, hot tongue, her back arching as her eyes shut...

The embarrassment was gone, replaced with such raw need that consumed her, that almost...

Almost...

Made her beg for this.

Never in her life had she thought of an act such as this, never experienced any other pleasure from anyone or anything but her own fingers on cold and lonely nights...

And now...

And now, here she was, writhing beneath her bonded, her own body betraying her as shook against his mouth, feeling him as he drew her out, playing a song of lust against the one part of her she hid from everyone before.

"Ben..." she whispered breathlessly as he lapped against her again, unresponsive to her call as he tasted the sweet, hot liquid that is Rey.

Her own fingernails dug into her palms as she gripped herself, arms still frozen in his hold above her head. Timidly, just when she thought he was showing her mercy as he slowed, she lifted her head and glanced down over her heaving chest.

Kylo's head was turned to the side, his mouth trailing to her thigh, biting her there as she shook, mindless to the fact that his hand was traveling to her core now, a long, thick finger running along her slit.

The teasing was almost too much, her legs heavy as they shook around him, and in that instant, Rey's eyes rolled back as her head hit the bed again, already sensing what he was planning.

A loud groan roared itself to life as he slid his finger into her, his mouth coming back to her clit as slowly entered and withdrew, repeating the same process as she bucked and arched beneath his mouth.

The pure bliss and pleasure that radiated from Rey was intoxicating, a first for him, a feeling he wouldn't mind feeling for the rest of his days as long as she moaned and moved just as she did now.

Her slick heat gripped his finger, her tightness both exciting and worrying him. The way she had looked at his member when he removed his pants was now no surprise.

There was really no surprise here...

Though she was powerful, and mighty at that, she was small.

And he was indeed, a large man.

The knowledge of this brought forth a small groan from him, vibrating against her as she moaned once more, encouraging him to enter another finger, slowly, tantalizing.

Pausing so that Rey could adjust, he leaned his head against her thigh, his gaze moving up to her face, admiring her shut eyes and furrowed brows, her beautiful chest heavy with each breath she took.

Catching him off guard, he felt her move against his fingers, repeating the same motions he was doing previously.

With a dark, hooded gaze, he watched as Rey pleasured herself using his fingers, wondering if this was how she touched herself...

Turning his head slightly, his planted a hot, hungry kiss to her warm thigh, trailing his mouth back to her core just in time to feel her release around him, licking her up as she cried out, his member aching and throbbing in response.

As she rode her pleasure out, he moved his fingers inside of her, feeling her tighten around him as she finished with a heavy gasp before falling against the bed completely.

Trailing kissed back up to her, he only hoped she was ready.

Releasing his hold against her wrists, he buried a smile in his hair when he felt her hand fly to his hair, gripping and tugging at it to express her frustration with the hold, but he knew he was forgiven by the way she hungrily awaited his kiss, feeling her shock as she tasted herself on his lips when he moved to meet her.

Hovering over her now, his own need was beginning to turn urgent, his abdomen filled with warmth as his heart beat faster, still intoxicated with everything that is Rey.

Meeting her gaze, they stared at one another, his hungry eyes bore into her dreamy look as his member throbbed against her wet, pleasured slit.

Rey's cheeks were hot and red as she looked up at him, hearing his silent question, asking if she was sure, if she was ready.

Wordlessly, her fingers reached up and met his cheek, giving him all the answers he needed, aware that she knew just as he that this would hurt, and there wasn't much of a way around it.

Swiftly, he angled himself just right as he pushed against her, his forehead on hers.

And with a push, he was inside of her, a strangled groan shaking itself through him as his member filled her. Rey gasped, her head moving next to his ear as she tried her best to ignore the pain, a single tear rolling down her cheek as he slowly withdrew, pushing back in.

Rey tried not to cry out, shutting her eyes as she felt a calm energy absorb her throughout the atmosphere, feeling that it was coming from him. And just then, their bond seemed to sing even louder than it ever had before, achieving a level of peace and chaos, a platform of evenness and fair playing ground.

In the bond, she felt his fears of failure, of disappointment, and deeper than that, she felt love nestled deep within him, belonging solely to her, all her.

And for him, he felt the same fear and love coursing through her, and together, they became one.

With his soft push, Rey felt his legs quivering, and to her surprise it was not out of tiredness, instead, it was because he was holding back, making sure that she was comfortable, that she was okay.

Gulping, Rey refocused on him, making sure to relax herself onto him, feeling the pain subsiding away and being replaced by a gentle, primal hunger that was eager for him to achieve the same pleasure she had just moments before.

Lifting her knee, she gave him more access within her, catching Kylo off guard mid push as he fell deeper into her, his shaky breath tumbling out as he stilled above her, his arms leaving her sides and now balancing himself on the headboard.

With his muscular chest on display, Rey gulped the remainder pain away, touching his chest as he grew more confident in his movement.

At this, Rey let out a soft moan as her back slowly arched, his thrusts becoming more demanding as she relaxed around his member, breathless moans escaping the both of them.

Placing a hand on her lower abdomen, he pinned her to the bed as he thrust deeper and harder into her, pulling and tugging each of them forward into waves and waves of ecstasy.

"Oh, Ben..." she whimpered over and over, filling his ears with the name he had banned a long time ago, swearing to never go by it again at such a young age.

And yet, here he was, a grown man praying to never be called by any other name from this woman.

Groaning, his other hand left the headboard, disappearing behind her neck to drag her mouth up to his as he pounded into her, her moans getting lost in his mouth as his thrusts grew stern and deliciously powerful.

Feeling Rey tighten around him even more, Kylo hissed, feeling his own release coming forth as their energy mingled and viscously attacked one another for their pleasure to be achieved first.

The atmosphere was thick with their bond, time felt as though it froze as random objects began to float into mid-air, books and clothing drifting and freezing as both Rey and Kylo's pleasure grew closer and closer.

Again, a raw moan escaped Rey as she bucked against him, inviting and welcoming Kylo in deeper and deeper until there was nowhere else to go, until there was nothing else but him and Rey.

With a gruntled groan, Kylo buried himself deep within her as his mouth met her neck, biting again as he had earlier that night, sending Rey over the edge as she tightened around his member, her soft, delicate hand gripping his hair tightly as her release soaked him just as he spilled into her, each other's names on their lips as the random objects fell to the ground, the only remaining sounds in the room were the breathless sighs of the bonded pair as they settled into each other, and their bond grew.

( X )

Yards away, an emergency broadcast called to the ship that belonged to the bonded pair that still lay in each other arms, the call going unanswered over, and over, and over again...

( X )

Author's Notes:

Thank you for reading! Stay tuned, and I hope you enjoyed! Please leave some feedback, I appreaciate it endlessly!

Also, follow me on my Reylo dedicated Tumblr! (The updated one :D) I post lots of yummy Reylo stuff, and some really great Reylo art too!

VirtualReylo


	48. Chapter 48

Yards away, an emergency broadcast called to the ship that belonged to the bonded pair that still lay in each other arms, the call going unanswered over, and over, and over again...

( X )

Several hours later, Rey's eyes slowly fluttered open, her senses quietly returning as she glanced around the dimly lit room, her lazy, hooded eyes falling to the clothes that lay scattered around the ground, only now realizing that they both knocked over a few stacks of books in the middle of their journey.

A small, shy smile tugged at her lips as the events that followed were called to her mind.

As she smiled, she realized she was resting on top of Kylo, her warm cheek pressed against his hard chest as it rose and fell with every deep breath he took as he slept. Slowly, she glanced up to him, admiring his dark, long lashes casting a small shadow across his reddened cheeks.

Rey took her time admiring every imperfection of his face, every angle that called to her, every scar and every hair. As she studied him, she felt the warmth begin to pool in her abdomen again, feeling her muscles clench with the memory of that part of him invading her, learning her, teaching her, drawing her out...

Her own cheeks reddened with a blush as her body shifted, glancing down to his chest, to his belly, and even lower, following the trail of black hair that led to that certain member...

The black, silk sheet that covered them hung low and loose on his body, revealing the thick patch of hair around his member and exposing only the hilt of it before disappearing beneath the cover.

Curiously, Rey's hand trailed from his chest, down to the hair at his navel, giving it a gentle tug as she passed it before her hand hovered over his member that was ready for her attention.

Timidly, she removed the sheet as he sprung to life, her eyes on it as a slim finger softly ran down his shaft. She marveled at how soft and hard it was at the same time, wondering if they were all like that.

Wrapping her fingers around his member, she moved it around a bit, testing the movement and flexibility, her curiosity growing more and more. With Rey's mind elsewhere, she jumped when it twitched in her hand, growing harder as she let it go and glanced upwards, blushing when she met Kylo's open eyes.

His head was resting on his arm, watching as she touched him, admiring her tender shyness come to play across her face just as her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Sleep plead with his mind, but he was too intrigued.

"Don't let me stop you..." he muttered, smirking down at her as she pressed her hot cheek to his chest.

"I'm sorry..." Rey mumbled into his chest, feeling his chuckle vibrate through to her.

The sound was music to her ears, knowing fully well that it was a rare thing for Kylo to lower his guard enough to even break a smile. The fact that he was allowing it now, that she had gotten so close to him to experience this event with him, was both shocking and satisfying.

From all of their troubles, all of their battles, this was the end result.

Love.

As she lay next to him, naked and blushing, she wondered what this meant for them, wondering if his choice was made...wondering if his choice, in the end, was her.

Sighing, Rey timidly glanced up when she felt him catch a wisp of her hair between his thumb and index finger, twisting it around and playing with it, naked and unashamed as he lay next to her with such confidence.

Every scar and imperfection seemed to glow on his skin, begging for attention as her eyes fell to his chest.

With swift and easy movement, Kylo picked her up and laid her on top of him, face to face with her now as he breathed in her scent, his eyes meeting hers as she gasped as the feel of his member nestled against her thigh.

"Oh, um... Ben, I-" Rey trailed off into a breathless whisper as his mouth trailed down to her neck.

The following events of the night stayed with her forever.

He held her close, she was positive that they were touching the entire rest of the night from the moment that he took her once more, teaching her how to move her hips atop of him, and satisfying some deep desire within her when his head fell back as her name left his lips, his body shaking with his release.

The memory was almost as satisfying as the next, when his mouth was on her, tasting her and eating her, drawing out every delicious moan before his husky voice demanded she move to her knees, his long index finger testing the walls of her center.

As she turned, the last sight of him she saw was Ben bringing that same finger to his mouth, tasting her there before guiding himself inside her, her own release answering almost immediately.

It was a busy night, indeed.

( X )

Author's Notes: I am so sorry for the wait! And I'm even more sorry that this was a small chapter. I have been terribly sick with the flu, and I am only now getting better :( I have not forgotten about you all! I will be posting again in a few days, but just wanted to throw out a little something, so here we go! Stay tuned!


	49. Chapter 49

The sun was shining bright, the clouds scattered throughout the sky as Rey's eyes fluttered open, her cheeks still red and body warm from the night's events.

Smiling, she turned to lay on her back, stretching out on the empty bed as the sheet lowered, exposing her breasts to the cold air as her muscles relaxed against the bed. She looked around the room, realizing Kylo was nowhere to be found.

Sighing, she slowly sat up, covering her yawn with the back of her hand.

"Ben?" she called out.

Silence answered.

With a furrowed brow, Rey got out of bed, securing the black, satin sheet tightly around her body as she went to look for him.

Her lower abdomen ached, and her center was sore, the cause of it reddened her cheeks even more as she opened the bedroom door, looking down the hall to see the light from the fresher on, the door only half closed.

Slowly, she made her way down to the room, gently pushing open the door to see a shirtless Kylo standing in front of the mirror, a small blade held to his cheek.

In the mirror, his eyes shot to hers, unbothered.

As her eyes glanced over him curiously, she watched as his own glanced down her body before returning to his reflection, moving the small blade along his cheek.

Baffled, Rey spoke first.

"What in the stars are you doing?"

Glancing at her once more, Kylo felt the urge to laugh at her shocked expression, but quickly suppressed it.

"Shaving." He answered simply, continuing his task at hand.

Rey's brow raised at him suspiciously, and he returned it just the same as he finished up, Rey's eyes never leaving his face as she watched the last bits of hair leave his jaw.

His face was clean, his black hair wet and combed away from his face. It reminded her of the first time she had seen his face, unbelieving that it was so long ago now.

Watching his face, her center grew warm just as it had in the middle of the night before he took her once more...

Blushing, she clutched the sheet to her chest harder as his eyes wandered down and watched the movement.

Feeling uncomfortable under his intense gaze, Rey cleared her throat.

"Well, what's on the agenda today?" she asked timidly.

Kylo snickered.

"Eager to get out?" he assumed, placing his razor down on the sink before turning to face her head on.

Her hair was down, cascading past her shoulders in wisps of soft brown embers, her cheeks pink and eyes wide with wonder, and her jaw set with a sternness that drove him wild.

Even several feet away, he could feel her warmth around him, making him wonder if it was their physical presence, or their bond.

"Not eager... I've been doing quite well with training if I do say so myself..." She shrugged, moving to toy with the leaf of a large plant sitting atop the counter, feeling playful. "Thought you could use a break from preying on the innocent..." Rey's eyes caught his gaze at the last bit of her statement, nearly laughing at his amused scoff.

"Really?" he asked, dragging his hand over his freshly shaved chin. Easily, he channeled the energy around him, as if muting every sound and capturing the attention of every living thing within the hut.

Rey's eyes widened as she felt his demanding presence command her attention, her body involuntarily moving to face him. Whatever he was doing, she was beginning to feel dizzy and entranced, warmth filling her vision, every sound drowning out except for his voice, a soft melody to her ears.

Suddenly, he was on her, grasping her by the waist and walking her backwards, her limbs flailing awkwardly against him, his stern stance never faltering as he pushed her back against the wall in the hallway, his face hidden in the crook of her neck as she came to.

"What-what did..." Rey trailed off as his lips pressed against her, right beneath her ear. "How did-"

"Rey..." he muttered, and she could feel his smile against her throat. "If I were preying on the innocent..." Kylo nipped at her skin, a small gasp escaping from her own lips as her eyes slowly closed. "You'd know it."

With that, Kylo smirked, turning on his heel and heading back into the fresher, using the force to close the door behind him, leaving Rey in the hallway, sheet still clinging to her body as she sneered at him.

( X )

She was silent, her movement so light that Kylo had to cast a quick glance behind him to ensure she was still there as they walked to their training area in the forest.

The weather was gloomy, the wind harsh.

Perfect weather for training, he decided.

Sighing, he gripped his lightsaber that clung to his hip, tossing his long, black cape over a large boulder as he approached the middle of their field.

Kylo listened to Rey behind him, throwing her canteen to the side with a big 'huff'.

He couldn't hide the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. Ever since his small teasing earlier, Rey had quite the stubborn attitude during breakfast, refusing to speak to him or even meet his gaze.

It only added to the exc-

Without warning, he heard her lightsaber ignite, the energy between them abruptly turning into a playful contest.

He felt the spike of excitement course between them both as he ignited his own, quickly turning to answer the strike she was attacking him with.

Caught off guard with the power behind her strike, his hold faltered on his saber, the quick readjustment was felt from his weapon, through her own, causing Rey to smile at Kylo.

Narrowing his eyes at her, he used the force to quickly shove her back, watching Rey as she stumbled back. She answered his glare with her own as she circled him, and he circled her.

Twigs and rocks crunched together beneath his heavy boots, the only sound filling the dead air between them besides the buzz of their lightsabers as the wind seemed to cease, as if to watch the battle.

Unapologetically, Rey pushed into his mind, trying her best to catch any sign of his next move, coming so close to the answer before he quickly pushed back, their block louder than ever.

"You could do better than that." Kylo called to her, smirking as her eyes narrowed more.

He was sure she would attack...

He would have bet his own saber on it...

Instead, he felt a sudden energy lift from within her, ambushing his own senses as his movements stammered over one another. Kylo blinked furiously, willing the interference away.

Swiftly, so fast that Kylo was forced to drop his saber, Rey's own sword flew at him, her open palm giving it an extra push as it rushed past him.

Kylo quickly moved his body to the side, the purple whips of her lightsaber catching the edge of his sleeve, his hair whipping across his face as he dodged it.

Rey's lightsaber impaled itself firmly into a large tree several yards behind Kylo, his eyes landing on it before he breathlessly looked back to Rey. Her expression was blank at first, before satisfaction filled her, a wide grin spreading from cheek to cheek.

Before he had a chance to fully compose himself, Kylo watched as Rey quickly turned and ran, leaving her lightsaber behind. Cursing and hissing, he followed, starting off at long strides before breaking out into a full sprint to catch up to her.

By the time he did, they were nearly half a mile away from the training grounds, and Kylo still refused to use the force to halt her, instead, he sheathed his saber, as if that alone would give him the speed he needed to catch her.

However, he was growing bored and tired.

Grunting, his palm opened against his will, his own energy beginning to call the force to his hand just as Rey approached a large tree ahead of her, her arms stretching above her to pull herself up onto a thick branch, her legs swinging in front of her to gain momentum...

… He swore he'd seen her do this before...

Memories of watching Rey fight in Vicar's throne room filled his mind.

As Kylo ran to her, determined to catch her there, Rey quickly swung herself around to face him, the balls of her feet pressing hard into the middle of his chest and sending him directly to the ground, knocking the breath out of him.

Rey couldn't help but laugh as she swung herself into the air, landing perfect over him and kneeling down, straddling him as she looked him right in the eye as he breathlessly glared at her, struggling to catch his breath.

"Preying on the innocent, Ben?" Rey smiled down to him, sweat beading her forehead.

This time, she threw her head back as she roared with laughter, something no one ever dared to do before.

'Just her.' his mind grunted.

Watching her, he allowed himself a quick chuckle before she looked back down to him, both of them still out of breath.

Without warning, Kylo bucked his hip, tossing her onto her back and trapping her there with his body, his hands grasping her wrists together as she tried to wiggle away.

"You know how to climb a tree, wonderful work, Scavenger."

Kylo quickly hid a smile in her hair as she cursed at him.

Out of breath and quite tired, Rey settled down against the dirt, the wind picking up once more as the tension fell away. Together, they lay there as they both calmed, Kylo moving to gaze at her, and Rey gazing up at him.

Trying to move out of his grasp, Rey settled back down when he refused.

With a small sigh, she decided to amuse her curiosity.

"What was that thing you did earlier? It felt like a mind trick, but... Well, I felt awake."

Sitting up on his knees, Kylo straightened his back, rolling his neck as he released her wrists, satisfied that she didn't move from her current position.

"It wasn't. I just pulled your energy to me. I could have done it again while you were throwing your little tantrum earlier..." Rey glared at him. "Though, I decided to let you calm down."

Thinking for a moment, Rey stretched on the ground, trying her best not to pay any attention to his hand that was beginning to lightly make its way up her leg.

"Could I do it?" she asked.

With his attention elsewhere, all she received back was a quick 'Mhmm'.

Rey remained silent as she tried her best to do it, channeling the last of her energy to try and command his attention, knowing that she failed as his fingers skimmed across her hip, sending a delightful shiver down her spine that made her close her eyes.

"Not like that." he muttered.

Eyes opening once more, she studied him with a confused expression. "Then how?" she demanded.

Kylo snickered, watching as his thumb brushed over her skin once more, trying to speak although his attention was begging to be elsewhere.

"You're trying to control the force. Let it control you, for once. Let it call to you." he muttered again.

Anxiety quickly ate at her nerves. "But what if-"

"Rey." Kylo said sternly as he caught her wrist, turning to press his lips to it.

Her cheeks began to turn pink, her mind wondering what would happen if someone, anyone, caught a glimpse of them right now.

Stars, she couldn't even believe he was here right now, and so was she, getting a kiss to her skin from the man the galaxy feared...

With a quick shake of her head, Rey cleared her mind, letting her body relax and evening out her breathing.

At first, she was certain that she just wasn't made for this type of trick, even doubting for a moment that Kylo had no idea what he was talking about...

But just as the doubt began to settle in, she felt it...

It was as if the call from the force was there already, in the back of her mind, prodding every nerve within her and begging for help...

Pleading with her to answer it... Urgent... Desperate...

Rey's eyes flew open, any trace of a smile washed away as she quickly sat up.

Kylo turned his head, looking for the energy that caught Rey's attention.

Her breathing turned ragged as she grew nervous, this desperate call that reached to her was so intense, so raw that she nearly cried.

Yet...

She couldn't place her finger on it...

She couldn't focus...

Shooting to her feet, Rey paced as she glanced around at the ground mindlessly.

Something was happening...

Someone was...

Her heart began to skip a beat, the uncertainty was making her sick...

Falling to her knees, Rey shut her eyes as she franticly reached through the force to the only person she knew could answer.

From beside her, Kylo anxiously watched and waited for Rey to announce what was going on, his presence already staked in her mind as he witnessed her reach through the force, her own presence nearly stopping him in his tracks.

Her energy was growing, more than he had imagined, more than he knew how to tame...

Time seemed to stop as she commanded the force to reveal her caller, the wind freezing against the branches of the tall trees above them.

Breathlessly, he heard a soft whisper escape her lips.

"Flora?"

Kylo glanced down to her just as her eyes opened, and before he could process what was happening, she was back to running towards the hut, her arm extended for a moment as she called her lightsaber back to her.

( X )

There was no time to waste.

Her legs were shaking from running, her ankles sore and she knew for certain that her toes were blistering.

But she could pay no mind to it now.

As Rey made her way onto the ship, her only concern was her friends.

Switching on the control panel, Rey grasped the speaker to the comm unit, her fingers already tuning the system to find the shared wave her and Chewie communicated on.

"Light to Falcon." Her shaky voice called.

Silence.

"Light to Falcon!" she yelled.

Behind her, she could sense Kylo slowly pacing, his place unsure.

Silence filled the comm for minutes, which to Rey, felt like years as she so desperately waited for word back.

"Light to Falcon...Please..."

Silence.

Silence...

Static...

"R- Rey?" a voice called to her.

"Poe! Poe what's hap-" Rey exclaimed.

"Rey! We've been trying to get a- ahold of-" the line broke up.

"Poe! I can't hear..."

Shuffling noises filled the comm unit, echoing throughout the ship.

"Rey! They found us! They t-t- they took out most of our fleet! Rey- Rey they're looking for y- you! We don't stan- stand a chance!" Rose yelled.

"Rose! Do not engage them, you need to find cover!-"

"We're trying, we're on the outer rim of Leebar. You need to hide!" Rose exclaimed. "Rey, they ha-have weapons I've nev- never seen in my life!" Rose began to cry.

Rey's eyes watered as she clutched at her head, her heart beating so fast that she feared her ear drum would split.

"Rose, where's Flora? I felt her calling to me..."

"We were am-ambushed, her and Chewie led off a group of them before they attacked the fleet, bu-but we-we haven't seen them si-since!"

"And Leia?" Rey asked. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kylo's head barely turn to her direction, fully listening.

"She's trying to g-ga-gather reinforcements- bu- but it's not looking go-good. We've throw-thrown off the Firs-First Or-Order for a whi-while, but we do-don't know for ho-"

The comm unit lost signal, and Rey desperately tried to get it back, but to no success.

Defeated, Rey fell to her knees as her breathing hardened, tears filling her eyes in frustration and fear for her friends, fear for Flora and Chewie.

And the weapons? Rey could only assume it was along the lines of what Viccar had already created, something she herself had experienced.

Behind her, Kylo continued to shuffle, regret, shame and absolute anger rolling off of him in large, black waves, though Rey couldn't pinpoint the cause as she wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand as she stood.

Turning to him, they met each other's gaze.

"Rey..." Kylo began, already shaking his head.

"Please." Rey begged, taking a step towards him, peering up at him with tears in her eyes still. She wasn't sure what she was asking him... She just didn't have the answers, she didn't have the strength...

"Please, help me." she pled.

Kylo gulped, struggling to overcome every emotion that was hitting him, stabbing him in his gut, every lesson he was taught getting tossed aside.

No... he couldn't...

As Rey looked to him, he felt her need, her desperation...

Similar to how she had looked and pled with him when she asked for his help the first time...

'Please don't go this way...'

Her voice echoed in his mind, the same expression haunting him for months after...

No...

He couldn't commit to joining her side...

Gulping once more, he glanced away from her waiting face, already knowing what he had to do...

No, he wouldn't commit...

But, he would help.

With nothing else to say, Rey nodded, not daring to say anything that would make him second guess his decision as she rushed to the hut to gather a few necessities, leaving Kylo to commandeer the ship.

When Rey returned, she watched as Kylo quickly punched in their destination, frustration and confusion clashing together within her as she glanced to his face.

"Are we not going to Leebar? Rose sai-"

"No. We aren't going there." Kylo firmly stated, his eyes ahead of them as he began to maneuver the ship off of the ground, wishing that he could do anything to stay there on Arrowmada with Rey...

The realization stunned him for the quickest moment.

"We need to help the fleet-"

"Rey, Hux is too ignorant to attack twice, even if you're low on man power or not. He's doing this to send a message, we have time-"

"We thought we had time to begin with!" Rey bit.

"Trust me." Kylo said.

Rey glared at him, arms crossed as she slid down into the co-pilot's chair, nervousness settling into the pit of her stomach.

"Will you at least tell me where we are going? Do you have a plan?" she asked, exasperated.

Kylo's jaw tensed, knowing fully well that he did indeed have a plan, though he wasn't sure he could commit to it in the long run...

"Yes. I have a plan. We are going to Naboo."

Rey's head whipped towards him, unsure if she had heard him right.

She heard tales and legends of Naboo, and she knew it had something to do with the royal line, but again, it was just stories, most of them she heard from the children on Jakku.

"Why there? What could we possibly accomplish-"

"Rey. Trust me... Please." This time, Kylo looked at her, catching her gaze with his, and for the first time, Rey saw a hint of his own plea hidden deep within his eyes.

And so, with everything she had, she trusted him.

( X )

Author's Notes: Thanks for the get well wishes! I am feeling much better and am hoping to get back to my regular posting schedule! :D Thank you for reading, and I loveeeee and appreciate comments 3 so leave me some?


	50. Chapter 50

A few hours later on their journey to Naboo, Kylo Ren entered a quick code on the console in front of him, letting the ship shift into a cruise position, allowing him to finally unbuckle from his seat and find Rey.

It was a very quiet ride thus far, neither of them speaking as Kylo tried to organize his plan, and Rey trying to reach out to Flora through the force. The energy she was attempting to muster was, in the end, just exhausting her more. But she grew desperate.

Amongst the stars that Flora seemed to touch, left behind a ghost that trailed off into the wind, leaving nothing behind.

Eventually, she wordlessly left the cockpit, taking a quick walk down the small halls of the ship, wishing so deeply that she was instead walking the halls of the Falcon.

Jaw clenched, Kylo slowly made his way to the comm unit at the center of the ship, finding Rey sitting on the ground in front of it, streaks of tears staining her face as she looked up at him as he approached, his hand forming a hesitant fist as he tried to determine what to do next.

He didn't like seeing her this way...

He could feel it in himself, how much he truly hated it...

When she had left the cockpit earlier, he was thankful for it, finally able to clear his own mind after trying to find her friend himself, grabbing the face of a memory Rey was thinking of to channel his own force, and still, he came to nothing.

As Rey had continued her search, Kylo knew fully well she would not hold off or hold back on trying to find Flora, and if he were to try and advise her to save her strength, in the end, she'd refuse.

So, instead, he let her be.

And her exhaustion was beginning to make him sick, his head throbbing and bones beginning to ache, making him dizzy as he piloted the ship, their bond more alive than ever even as they sat next to each other on the small ship.

Sighing, he stood in front of her now, head still throbbing though the dizziness faded. Through their bond, he could feel the anxiety taking its toll, her mind was heavy with thought and worry.

Hesitantly, he reached a hand down to her, a moment of fear coursed through him since the last time he held an open palm to her, she rejected him...

To his relief, she reached for it, allowing him to help her up as she wiped at her tear stained cheek with the back of her free hand.

"I'm sorry... I just can't feel her anywhere. Or Chewie." Rey whispered brokenly, shaking her head as she glanced down to Kylo's boots while she stood in front of him. With a quick idea, her eyes shot up to his, though he already knew what she was going to ask. "Do you think you'd be-"

"I tried. Nothing." he muttered, his thumb mindlessly caressing the back of her hand before cupping her cheek, taking note that she turned into his palm slightly, a peaceful calm washing over her slowly.

"Thank you... thank you for trying." she said, nodding once as she turned her face up to meet his eyes.

She saw a flash of concern cross his eyes before he blinked, returning back to his blank, studying gaze.

"You shouldn't worry too much. She's with the wookie, and Hux won't strike again until the Resistance makes a move, or shows him their cards." Kylo said, his tone was low, low but certain.

Rey looked at him doubtfully.

"How do you know? How are you so sure? We didn't think he'd attack now, and he did."

Kylo was already shaking his head as he looked down at her, and her up at him.

"It's a strategic game to him. I know his way of thinking, I've trained with him, I've lived with him. He's disciplined, but naïve. We have time, and your friends escaped..." Kylo did his best to assure Rey.

It was all true, every bit of it. He knew Hux more than he wanted to, more than he needed. After years of serving Snoke side by side, it was hard not to pick up on habits and the other's train of thought.

With his plan, he only hoped it would turn out in his favor.

"What is your plan anyway?" Rey asked, sniffling.

Kylo shot her a testing glare, to which Rey shrugged, offering a thin smile.

He took pity on her, masking his annoyance because of the struggle he saw her go through just to give him the smile, if that's what you'd like to call it.

"It's best if you don't know. Naboo is... It's changed. When we get there, I'll have to do all of the talking. I mean it Rey, all of it. We must be careful-"

Rey was already nodding, pulling away from him as she began to pace while nibbling at her thumb. "If we want to get out alive?" she finished, stopping her pacing to glance at him.

Wordlessly, Kylo nodded.

"And you're hoping to get allies out of this?" she questioned, eyes intent on his face.

"Yes." he answered confidently.

Rey glanced down to the ground before her, letting silence settle before her gaze slowly crept up to his face, unsure of the question she wanted answered.

"Allies... for the Resistance? … Or for the First Order?" she asked.

Rey hated to ask, but she needed to know. She was grateful, yes, that he was willing to help at all, and the fact that he so willingly chose to escort her here for the hope of new alliances made her wonder if his choice was made...

… But deep down, she knew it wasn't, not for certain anyway.

Her eyes glued to Kylo's, she watched as he took a slow, deliberate step towards her, his dark eyes never leaving hers as he answered.

"For you."

His voice was soft, the slight rough edge coming through at the end. The look he gave Rey, so intensely beautiful, made her almost tear up.

Turning on his heel, he slowly made his way back to the pilot's seat, leaving Rey behind to ponder, and in the end, accept his answer.

( X )

"Docking name?"

"BlackStar."

Silence.

They had arrived.

Rey sat nervously in the co-pilot's seat as she listened to the exchange between security on Naboo and Kylo as he sat next to her, leaning forward in his seat as he waited for the bridge to lower, awaiting passage into the docking stations.

Silence.

The comm was quiet as they waited for their approval.

Rey began fidgeting with her buckle, her teeth gnawing at the inside of her cheek. She quickly stopped when Kylo tossed her a glance, silently ordering her to calm down.

"Temporary docking permit approved, follow the directions on the holopad. You are not granted city entrance yet." The guardsmen spoke into the comm before the channel went silent, static filling the cockpit of their ship.

Kylo's jaw clenched as he turned the comm unit off with a bit more force than intended, causing Rey to glance his way now.

"Is this normal?" she asked him, her eyes on his face as his own gaze was staring down at the drawbridge that remained closed.

"For security measures, it can be."

"Will they alert the First Order?" she questioned, a worried expression glued to her face.

Kylo shook his head just as the holopad that lay between them lit up, providing detailed instruction to fly to the east of the drawbridge.

"No. They'll want to see what we have to offer first."

Rey slowly nodded, settling back into her seat. Tension was high between the pair, so much that their bond only seemed to ignite with every passing breath, their minds on one channel now as their attention turned towards an abandoned castle that the holo led them to.

Rey's brow furrowed. "Is this right? It seems..."

"Dead." Kylo finished, glancing down to the pad to ensure the directions were correct.

He sighed, frustrated as he guided their ship down to the landing platform.

In all of his years, he had never needed to follow such protocol, instead, it was usually the other way around with either him or Snoke giving such orders.

He would never tell Rey, not now at least. He did his best to wash it away from his thoughts so that Rey could not catch on that this was indeed, not normal.

As they readied, he pushed the exit button near the rear of the ship, the tail lowering itself to create a rail that lead them down to the ground.

Fastening his cape, Kylo looked towards Rey, eyeing her outfit. She was still dressed in the black garb that MOX had made for her, the thin wraps lacing around her arms and across her midsection, emphasizing her curves.

He had to give it to the droid.

It knew what it was doing.

Watching as Rey fastened her own cape around her shoulders, Kylo stepped forward to assist, readjusting it so it fell over her shoulder, and as he did this, his eye caught glimpse of the monarch pin he gifted her, resting right over her breast.

Rey looked to Kylo, following his gaze down to the pin. She feared he would tell her to leave it on the ship, in fact, she thought it would be a better idea to do so, but everything in her refused it, refused to part with the gift that laid truth to his feelings for her.

A shaky sigh of relief escaped from her lips as he moved the cape over it, hiding it well beneath the fabric before his thumb and index finger caught her chin, tugging her attention to his face.

"It will be okay." he assured her, his jaw tight.

She did nothing but nod, her eyes unable to tear themselves away.

"I do the talking." he stated.

Again, she nodded.

A sense of calm and complete focus filled her, and she knew exactly what was happening as he released his hold on her chin.

Her brows furrowed angrily at him, her tone raising, demanding to give him a piece of her mind.

"Ben Solo, do not think for a moment that you can mind tric-"

Before she could finish, he pressed an eager and firm kiss to her mouth, more urgent than ever before, as if he himself needed to know it would all be okay.

She felt it then, that he too was unsure, and he needed the same confidence that he was giving her.

Knowing he was not a man of words, she stepped closer to him, kissing him back slowly, her mouth pressed hard against his.

Stepping away, he grasped her hand that rested against his chest, giving it a light squeeze before letting it go, and made his way down the railing, Rey following right behind him.

The sky was crisp blue, the air smelling of lilac and water, green vines covering the tall, rusted castles that were aligned with gold trimming.

The place itself, seemed royal.

Watching Kylo make his way to the doors of the rotting yet beautiful castle, Rey couldn't help but feel as though Kylo belonged here, amongst the royalty and beauty, the gold and the blue.

Who was she, to try and take that away from him?

Stopping at the large, gold barred doors to the castle, Kylo glanced to Rey, the pair sharing a quick, confirmative nod before Kylo turned to push the gates open that led to another pair of wooden doors, however the doors opened themselves, exposing a dark, black room.

'Stay close.' Kylo spoke to her mind, and she stepped closer behind him as they made their way inside.

The air seemed colder than it was outside, and as the doors closed behind them, Rey quickly turned to see no one in sight. Picking up on the energy within the room, Rey could feel there were several strangers here, awaiting their arrival.

Sensing the same thing, Kylo slowly made his way down the dark corridor, leading into a larger area a few feet away.

Without warning, bright lights flickered on, and Rey's hand immediately went to her lightsaber that hung beneath her cape, however to her shock, Kylo remained still, his gaze set forward.

Looking around her nervously, Rey spotted at least ten guards dressed in all white uniforms, their weapons all pointed at her and Kylo, surrounding them and blocking the door they had just entered.

Turning her attention back to Kylo, she looked to read any available expression on his face, only to find it blank, almost as if he were caught off guard...

With Kylo standing motionless, Rey followed his gaze to see a tall, dark man sitting at the head of a long dining table, sporting a grin on his flawless, bearded face, exposing a set of white teeth.

The strange man's eyes never left Kylo's, and something in his eyes seemed both haunting and luring.

"Of all the things I expected to see here today, you," the man pointed a long, slim finger at Kylo. "Were not one of them."

Kylo's jaw seemed to clench, his chin lifting ever so slightly as his chest rose and fell with every breath.

Rey glanced between the two, confused and worried about the reaction this man was pulling from Kylo, obviously striking some distant chord that Kylo seemed to have forgotten.

Trying to release tension from his jaw and shoulders, Kylo gulped as he again lifted his chin into the air.

"What are you doing here?" he questioned.

The older man softly chuckled, though the same amusement did not seem to reach his eyes.

"You were always a curious little one, weren't you?" the man snickered. Looking towards the guards, he waived them all off before standing form his chair.

Rey still kept her hand at her saber, watching as the guards slowly made their way out of the room, the last one closing the door behind them.

Rey's confusion grew before she turned her eyes back to the man as he approached Kylo, his own gaze still never faltering.

"I thought you took up base in Cloud City. Bit far away, aren't you?" Kylo tested.

"And I thought you were busy ruling the galaxy, Supreme Leader?" the older man bit back.

For a long moment, Rey watched the two as they glared at one another.

The energy between the two men seemed familiar to Rey, obviously holding some history between them as she watched their encounter. She could easily see, without a doubt, that there was a certain hostility there, but between it, was love.

Love and pain.

Her heart began to beat faster.

A part of Ben's past? She thought.

Afraid of losing both time and the possibility of this man helping, Rey stepped out from behind Kylo, speaking for the first time.

"Hello... I'm Rey." she introduced herself, Kylo's head quickly whipping to glare at her, and Rey instantly knew she messed up by not allowing him to do the talking, but she was beginning to grow impatient.

The older man's eyes didn't leave Kylo's face for a long moment before he glanced down to Rey, a smile already spreading across his face.

"Ah, my apologies." His hand shot out towards Rey for a shake, and after hesitating awkwardly, she placed her hand in his before he turned it over, bending to press a soft kiss to the back of her hand. "It's a rare sight to have a stranger here on Naboo, even more rare for that stranger to be as beautiful as you." he grinned.

Rey couldn't help the hot blush that crept along her cheeks as she smiled back at him while he released her hand. To her side, Kylo scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"My name is Lando Calrissian, pleasure to meet you Rey." he smiled down at her, winking.

Again, Rey blushed and smiled at him.

"Why are you here? What's happened to Berenko?" Kylo demanded, his hand balled into a fist as his own cheeks began to turn red from frustration.

The man named Lando turned a quick, narrowed look at him as he spoke. "In short, the house of Berenko fell, Caleo is now dictator over Naboo."

Kylo's brows grew together, caught off guard by the news.

"Caleo has no lineage-" Kylo began, before Lando held a hand up, silencing him.

"Don't worry, Starfighter. You still hold lineage here, your mother made sure of that before you went to train with Luke. Caleo is stubborn, but law is law. Even the people here still recognize that."

Rey looked between the two, utterly confused, hoping that she caught on to at least a bit of what they were hinting at.

"So... So, you're a ruler of Naboo?" she asked.

Lando tossed an amused glance her way.

"By line of Princess Amidala, yes, Starfighter would have the right to the throne." Lando shrugged as Kylo looked on, anger filling his vision though Rey was unsure why. "Leia made sure of that. I'm sure with some negotiating, Caleo would easily forfi-"

"Enough!" Kylo demanded.

Lando snickered, and Rey knew instantly that would only add to Kylo's growing annoyance. What threw her off, however, was that this would have already pushed him past the point of no return when it came to his anger...

She knew that all too well...

However, sensing his energy, she could see that he wasn't even holding back... He just simply was not angry with this man.

Still confused, Rey sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes as the two men studied one another again, though Kylo's gaze was faltering...

Who was this man to him? Rey wondered.

Never taking his eyes off of Kylo, Lando spoke to Rey.

"Rey, love, will you please excuse me and Starfighter?" He asked of her.

Rey looked towards Kylo's face, still blank.

Starfighter? She asked herself...

Lando continued. "Me and my nephew need a moment to talk."

Rey's eyes shot from Lando back to Kylo, who remained looking on, refusing to confirm nor deny that this man was his uncle, or any relation to him. Instead, his silence answered it for him, and as his eyes glanced down, Rey noticed a quick, single nod telling her to go.

As if on cue, two guards came in to gently escort Rey out, her eyes still on the pair as the doors closed.

( X )

With the lights now on throughout the castle, Rey was able to look around the main hall near the entrance, spotting vine covered portraits of forgotten faces, dust painted over every inch of the staircase, and the molding dirt that lay across the broken steps.

Yes, it was indeed, oddly beautiful to her.

Having been a child and woman that only saw sand for years of her life, anything looked beautiful in comparison.

Sighing, she walked past several guards at the front doors, one of them stepping in front of her to open the door.

Awkwardly, she thanked him, her hand still hidden beneath her cape, placed lightly over her lightsaber, the edge and worry still there as she was surrounded by strangers.

She did not like having to leave Kylo back there, even if the man was of some relation to him.

It just wasn't part of the plan.

Cursing into the wind, Rey walked to the stone railing that led back to the docking platform that their ship sat at, looking over the ledge and into the ocean below.

Mindlessly, she tried to reach out to Flora and Chewie...

…

Silence.

Rey's jaw clenched as she picked up a small pebble and tossed it into the sea.

There was no bigger frustration than no-

"S-Strangers do-don't make good friends." a voice stuttered from behind her.

Jumping, Rey quickly turned to face him, her grip on her saber growing tighter.

His brows raised at her as he gave a lazy shrug, sucking at his teeth as he leaned against the ledge next to her.

Silence washed over them as Rey studied the man, and he watched her as if he was waiting for her to continue some washed up conversation.

Clearing her throat, Rey's brows drew together. "And... You are?" she awkwardly asked.

The man shrugged again. "A stranger, I suppose."

Biting the inside of her cheek, Rey tried her best not to lost her patience with this man, though it beginning to wear quite thin.

Shaking her head at him, she turned her gaze back to the sea. "Well, if you don't mind..."

"Oh, yes, the ocean v-view! Quite n-n-nice." he exclaimed, turning his attention to the sea just as Rey did. She looked at him from the corner of her eye, half intrigued and mostly annoyed.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked after a while.

He sucked at his teeth again, the sound causing goosebumps to rise on Rey's skin at how disgusting he made it appear.

"Well, since you ask-k. I c-c-c-could use a ride." he suggested, scratching at the back of his head.

Rey looked at him baffled and amused. "You think I'd give a stranger a ride? Never. Besides, I'm not traveling at the moment." she stated, shrugging him and his suggestion off.

The man made a small grunt before shrugging. "You'll need me. No one leaves Naboo unscathe-d-d these d-d-d-days."

At this, Rey froze, her heartbeat quickening. She could see he was watching her now, studying her for any sign of acknowledgment. She tried her best to resume a relaxed demeanor, but it felt it may have been too late.

"Unscathed? Why is that?" she asked, attempting to sound uninterested.

"They like p-p-pawns. You look like a p-p-pawn. A piece to be used and m-m-moved around. All part of the g-g-game."

Rey glanced at him, meeting his gaze. He shrugged once more.

"And... and what game is that?" she carefully asked, watching the sun begin to set in the distance.

For a moment, he shifted from one foot to the other, looking unsure if he wanted to say what he needed to, as if he didn't want to break a little child's heart.

"War." he stated.

Rey stared at him, and for the first time, he didn't look nervous or anxious, like what he stated was the only reality he knew.

"War?... And what side of that are you on?" she asked.

His eyes squinted at her, and for moment, he looked as though he may laugh.

"B-b-both? N-n-neither."

His answer equally confused and annoyed her. Just when Rey was going to demand his name, his eyes landed on the door a few feet behind her that was beginning to open. Turning to see if it was Kylo, Rey was abruptly stopped, having been grasped by the arm from the man she was speaking with.

He quickly bent close to her ear, and whispered, "Don't trust Caleo."

With that he shoved her so hard that she spun to face the doors, nearly falling on her knees as she tumbled forward before she caught herself on the balls of her feet.

Furious, she turned to meet him, unsure if she would knock him out before she got an answer from him, however when she turned, he was nowhere in sight.

Absolutely baffled, Rey ran to the railing, looking over the edge to see if the strange man possibly jumped off since there was no other explanation, however, there was no one, and she was left there to think of his warning until Kylo returned.

( X )

Kylo watched Rey leave the dining room with Lando's guards, one of them closing the door behind her as they left.

He couldn't help the tension that seemed to come and go, part of it from having Rey in the room as he was dealing with what seemed to be demons from his past, and the other part was him having his questions go unanswered.

"When did Caleo take over Naboo?" Kylo asked, placing his open palms on the table.

"Almost a year ago. Bought his way to the top, eventually he started getting cities in order, cleaning them up, taking care of the poor..." Lando trailed off.

The way he said it though, warned Kylo.

"Taking care of the poor?"

Lando eyed him, crossing his arms as he began to pace.

"If you walk the streets, there are no more beggars." Lando nodded, hoping Kylo would catch on.

With a raised eyebrow, Kylo turned a stubborn look to him. "None at all? How?"

Lando shrugged, picking up an apple from the bowl of fruit he brought with him that lay on the table. "No idea. But his staff sure has increased."

Standing up straight now, Kylo licked at his lips before running a gloved hand down his face. "Slaves?"

Tossing the apple from hand to hand, Lando nodded before taking a bite from the fruit.

"Which means-" Kylo began before he was cut off.

"Which means more birdies in the big castle." Lando smiled, taking a seat at the head of the table again, kicking his feet up and crossing them on the table as he relaxed back into his chair.

"And that's why you met us...here." Kylo figured out loud.

"Sure did. Though I did not know you had..." Lando trailed off, waiving his hand in the air as he grinned. "a lady friend with you."

Kylo's thoughts went to Rey, and he quickly made sure she was okay, feeling her energy from outside the castle... she seemed... annoyed.

Shaking his head, he wasn't sure there was a time when she wasn't.

At the thought, a smile threatened the corner of his mouth.

"She's...an acquaintance." Kylo muttered.

Lando roared with laughter, shaking his head before turning his gaze to meet Kylo's confused one.

"You're not fooling anybody, your father used to say the same thing about your mother." he chuckled.

Kylo's heart froze, his hand gripping the edge of the table at the casual mention of his parents... of his father...

Lando studied the young man's features, the twisted pain coming more alive with each second that he spent in the same room as his best friend's murderer...

Shaking his head, he refused to think that way of Ben... Han wouldn't want that... Which is the only reason Lando intercepted the request for docking approval, and had his own guard direct their ship to the abandoned castle before Caleo could get to him.

He needed no confirmation that it was Ben... He heard it all in his voice...

And now, here they were, only a few feet away as they both thought of the same man that they equally loved and hated.

"You can't blame yourself for what happened. Snoke too-" Lando began.

Kylo roared, his hot, angry eyes flashing to Lando as his hand went to his lightsaber. "Don't!"

Lando's eyes trailed down Kylo's arm, landing on the weapon that the young man wordlessly threatened him with.

Shooting his narrowed eyes at him, Lando moved his cape to the side, exposing his own blaster tucked loosely into his holster. The older man unsheathed it, his finger already wrapped around the trigger as he placed it on the table, pointed directly at Kylo.

Kylo snickered.

"The amount of time it would take you to pull the trigger-"

"Oh, I know, but what I also know is you can't worry about me, and my guards inside, and my guards outside, and the guards surrounding Rey..." Lando stated.

Kylo's grip on the table tightened.

Lando sighed before continuing, "I'm not trying to make things difficult. I'm here to help, as I always have been, as your father would want me to be. He loved you with every breathe he took, and he loved you even in his last, just like your mother will, just like I will, just like Rey will." Lando took another bite of the apple, chewing and swallowing before he continued. "We all know that something dark has latched onto you, digging its claws so deep into that soul of yours that you think you're unable to come back from this, that you're undeserving, that you're destined to bring a new order to our galaxy,"

"But I'll tell you what, I saw the same beliefs in the darkest, most powerful of men, and he came back from it. Just like you will. You can continue fighting it all you want, hell you can die trying to fight it, or you can do justice by Han's death and do something about it."

Lando stood now, slowly making his way to Kylo.

In his eyes, he saw the same young boy that waited for him and his father's return, that waited so eagerly to hear Han's voice, to get a present – a cape that was promised thousands of moons ago.

The older man failed Ben, just as much as the rest of them.

But they can do something about it now... They can fix it...

Ignoring the pain, he set it aside as he pressed a firm hand to Kylo's shoulder, doing his best to put love and forgiveness first.

In Kylo's eyes, Lando saw the young boy that wanted his parents love, solely their love... and now, a man, they appeared dark and desperate, nearly aching for help as they glossed over.

Lando wondered if this is what Han saw...

If he saw his boy again.

To Kylo, the familiarity of having Lando nearby was like having a piece of his father with him, his presence more alive. The day he killed his father... it destroyed him...that act alone tearing him apart as the light roared itself alive within him as if it raised itself in defiance, it's own rebellion, a light that took shelter within Rey...

He didn't deserve this...

Han didn't deserve it...

There could have been another way...

'Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to.'

There was no denying, the dark that resided in him was still there... He could feel it with every thought he had, with every breath he took...

But now, there was light... a light that would shine through the cracks inside of him, that would reach out and help guide him through the force...a coexistence of light and dark, of good and evil... Eventually...

Eventually...

One would win...

But which one?...

"Let me help you." Lando whispered, his own eyes showing a quick gloss, his face stubborn and broken.

After a moment, against every dark demon and every pull from the dark, Kylo timidly nodded, his eyes never leaving his friend, the uncle that was still there for him after everything...

Lando nodded, satisfied as he blinked away the wetness.

"Alright, Starfighter. Tell me what your plan is."

( X )

Author's Notes: Happy new year! Yay for chapter 50! Starting the year off right with a long chapter! :D Hope you all enjoyed, more action on the way, and more Rey and Kylo time, too. Leave me some love?

Also, there was a suggestion of longer chapters? What do you guys think? It's very possible although it may slow down how often I post. Give me some feedback!

Again, thank you all for reading and commenting, being able to write this story for people that actually enjoy it is what made my 2018 so great. I love you all, thank you so much!


	51. Chapter 51

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT AHEAD.**

( X )

She felt as though she had been waiting for hours.

With the sun at its full peak, she was sure of it.

She wasn't sure what made her so tired...

Maybe the exhaustion from searching for Flora in her mind... Maybe the journey to Naboo... The uncertainty...She just wasn't sure.

Her mind heavy with a dark cloud of sadness and worry, Rey let her body fall against the stone at her back, still at her place a few feet outside the large castle, Lando's guards patrolling the area.

She tried to count the clouds as they appeared to her above...

Soon enough, exhaustion won.

( X )

"It could work. He'll be distracted enough. This is great." Lando said to Kylo as they both made their way outside with long strides.

Kylo Ren felt an odd sense of pride and satisfaction fill him as he walked beside the man he once called an Uncle. Having told his plan to someone else, someone he felt confident in when it came to the strategy of battle, Kylo felt a wave of relief wash over him as he gained Lando's approval in this, the emotion quickly getting cleaned out by the hard scrub that is the dark side.

He wasn't sure how those emotions came through to him...Slipping through the cracks of the thick walls he had built so long ago as the apprentice of the dark side... It nearly made him scoff now, how casually the light settled on him in these little moments.

With a quick shake of his head, his jaw clenched as he regained his defensive stance, blocking everything out.

Behind him, Lando pauses to speak with one of his guards, asking for any update of their patrol. Kylo's eyes scanned the area just as his force did, searching for her.

His force felt it before his eyes saw it.

The cloud, the dark cloud hovering over Rey's light that seemed to work as a sponge more than a shield...

Gulping, Kylo's long legs made fast work of walking outside, cursing himself for leaving Rey alone for so long here. Just a few feet away from the tall doors, he spotted her laying down, sleep having taken her by full force as she lay beneath the sun.

Something deep within him made him hesitate to approach her sleeping form.

The cloud that loomed over her seemed to grow agitated with every inch he took towards her, a soft rumble throughout their bond as he timidly stepped closer, his mind already working to enter hers.

Even in her sleep, what seemed to be for the first time, her block was up, the thick doors of her mind closed so tightly that he nearly broke a sweat trying to enter, the storm within her swirling to a new height, begging and threatening him away.

Brows furrowed, face and mind concentrated, he forced his way in.

( X )

 _Her breathing quickened, her chest rising and falling so harshly that she nearly panicked at that alone._

 _She was back in the interrogation room on Starkiller Base, trapped in the chair._

 _Her head whipped around, looking for him, knowing he would be the one to save her..._

 _But she couldn't find him._

 _She couldn't even feel him..._

 _The room suddenly darkened, and a holo displayed in front of her, playing one of her own memories as her head throbbed with fear._

 _The memory played vividly, although the picture seemed to jump every now and then._

 _In the middle of a field sat Poe and Rey, enjoying a quick snack after their return from a nearby city that they visited to restock on supplies. It was a rare getaway, but they jumped on the opportunity to leave the base for a short while, and to enjoy the other's company._

 _They had been talking for a while, before he asked of her future, of her wants and needs for herself._

 _Her reply was choppy on the holo, but the following part was loud and clear, repeating in her mind as she sat in the chair, tears running down her face as she called for Ben._

 _"... I am somebody, to someone, and there's peace in the world..." she had spoken to Poe._

 _The line repeated, echoing to Rey's mind before the holo shut off._

 _"... There's peace..."_

 _Her mind unwillingly flashed to Han Solo's body falling from the platform as Kylo Ren stood, weapon in hand... And Luke Skywalker's robes flying in the wind, the sun setting behind it..._

 _"...In the world..."_

 _Another memory, Kai's body falling to the ground in Vicar's throne room._

 _"...I am somebody..."_

 _The time she grasped the lightsaber for the first time on Takodana... the vision of Kylo Ren standing in the rain with his knights..._

 _"... I am somebody..." her mind whispered as her memory recalled her lifting the rocks on Crait to rescue her friends._

 _The vision was interrupted by silence, her eyes on the gloved hand outstretched to her in the fallen throne room..._

 _"Please..." he had muttered, his broken voice begging of her._

 _"To someone..." she echoed in the background._

 _In the interrogation room, Rey's eyes were shut tight as tears fell down her cheeks, mingling with the sweat that began to roll away._

 _Silence danced in the air, mixing with a dark, rough energy._

 _She briefly wondered if he had arrived...If her mind was recalling the first time they had truly met, face to face..._

 _Her eyes shot open to find the dark silhouette of a tall man, his black robes reaching the ground as he stood tall, his mask covering the face she so desperately needed right now._

 _"Ben..." she whispered, her body giving way to the tremor that shook through her as her breath slipped away into a frightened whimper._

 _Looking down at her, he made no other move or sound._

 _In the back of her mind, more visions came to her, although they were no longer hers._

 _Her eyes now replaced those of Leia Organa's as she the woman reached down to cradle the face of a young Ben Solo, who was proudly showing off his penmanship to his mother. She bent down, gracing his with a kiss to the forehead._

 _"Just a child..." an eerie voice filled her mind..._

 _Rey recognized it... and fear shook her again as her eyes widened in real time..._

 _The memory faded too, and Rey was brought to the presence of Ben Solo, now a teenager as he stood in front of a younger Luke Skywalker, being scolded for a reason that Rey could not make out._

 _Just then, as she stood invisible to both men, Ben's head turned to her direction, a brow cocked, his eyes deep with wonder and frustration...As if he saw her...As if he knew she was there..._

 _"Just a child..."_

 _The memory faded again, and this time, she stood as Snoke, Kylo Ren kneeling before her as he peered up at her, messy, greasy hair matting to his sweaty face as his eyes looked angry with desperation._

 _"Just a child... In a mask..." the voice growled._

 _Her mind washed away the memories and visions as her body ached at the restraints, struggling as the cloaked man stepped forward to her in the interrogation room once more._

 _The man was dressed as Kylo Ren... his face hidden behind the mask..._

 _But Rey knew now, she knew it was not him, and it would not become him..._

 _Her voice and breath stuttered over itself as she tried to scream, an invisible hand quickly coming in contact with her throat so that she would not be able to achieve that much._

 _Her blood boiled, and her heart raced as she quickly saw the end approaching..._

 _The quick hiss escaped beneath the mask as the man moved to take it off, and Rey's eyes widened more as Snoke appeared beneath it, a disgusted scowl painted on his broken, wrinkled face._

 _His ungloved hand reached to her face, his hold already pushing against her mind._

 _"Give me... Everything..."_

 _Rey screamed._

( X )

She woke with a start, her forehead just as sweaty as her hands were as she shot up from the cold, hard ground, her eyes wide as she struggled to find her breath.

Rey was beginning to panic, looking for any sign of the dream, hoping none of it was real as her eyes landed on Kylo's, meeting his shocked gaze as he knelt beside her, his palm reached towards her to touch her cheek.

Mindlessly, she flinched away as her heart beat quickened.

His fingers curled into his palm, as if stung by her reaction.

Gulping, he stood as he clenched his jaw, determined to not let Rey see his hurt.

Kylo's own mind had witnessed her dream, the dark cloud becoming evidently clear as he had approached her after his meeting with Lando. The way the dark side loomed over her was enough to cause him to worry, but to see how her mind was tugging her to each side, both light and dark, shocked him even more.

And when he recognized the presence of Snoke there, his skin crawled, having frozen him in his tracks before he met Rey at the ground, shaking her awake just as Snoke's pasty hand skimmed Rey's mind.

Trying to regain his focus, he looked back at Rey, who was trying to control her breathing as she placed her back against the stone railing, her body visibly shaking.

Gulping once more to try and steady himself, he stood tall, covering his distraught emotions and nerves, masking it with authority as he glanced towards the guards at the wall that seemed to be watching. They met Kylo's eyes and quickly looked away, one of them even leaving to go back inside, leaving the other by himself.

Rey grabbed at her throbbing head, her nerves making her shaky still. She quickly looked around the rotten courtyard, her eyes landing on the one guard that remained at the doors.

Kylo felt a quick surge of relief almost fill her, though her nerves refused it, the effects of her dream still weighing heavy on her mind.

For a moment, he worried with the possibility that Snoke somehow reached her in her mind...

But it was impossible...he himself killed his Leader...

Kylo looked down at her as she stood, her face still pained but her eyes dark and hooded as she used the force to call the attention of the guard, her heart still racing at an impossible pace.

With a confused glance, he watched as the guard hesitantly made his way to them, his finger on his blaster as he glanced from Rey to Kylo.

"Um...Sir... M'lady... Did you need something? I felt as though..." the guard trailed off nervously.

"I'm sorry..." Rey muttered, tears threatening to spill. Kylo stepped back, standing at Rey's side, her energy pouring to him. He was frozen, curious to what she was doing...

Suddenly, Kylo felt the pain and headache she was experiencing, the fear and absolute panic that was coursing through her and eating away at every nerve of hers as though it was acid.

For a moment, he felt lost in the excruciating pain and uncertainty she was experiencing, but his confusion quickly covered it as he watched her.

"I'm so sorry..." Rey repeated, shaking her head at herself.

Rey's small palm lay at the guard's chest, and the guard's cheeks pinked for a moment as he glanced down to the contact, before meeting the narrowed eyes of Kylo Ren.

Her other hand reached up to cup the guard's cheek as she quickly captured and held the guard's gaze.

Slowly, Kylo felt her picking away at some of the energy that the guard had, replacing her over worked nerves and panic with the guard's energetic aura, her exhaustion leaving her in small waves as the guard's eyes widened, her panic washing over him now.

"Shh, shh..." Rey mumbled, her gaze still on his.

Kylo watched how easy it was for her to draw out the energy from her and replace it with his, stealing away his aura for the time being to heal herself internally, mentally.

With the guard panicked now, Rey quickly stopped, her hand leaving his chest and cupping the other side of his face.

"You're okay. There's no explanation for your sudden panic. But you're okay now, and that's all that matters." she nodded, waiting for the guard's reaction.

After a moment of hesitation, the guard's shoulders fell as he nodded in tune with Rey. "Yes... Yes, I'm okay now." A slow, shy smile peaked at his lips. "Thank you! I was worried for a moment. But I'm okay now. Thank you."

Satisfied, and guilty, Rey nodded as she released the guard, allowing him to return to his post, a lazy smile displayed across his face still.

Rey inhaled deeply, able to fully breathe now for the first time since her dream.

Kylo watched her, shock and awe racing through his mind as he watched the transaction between the two. The way she could muster up the energy to gain it form another, to make her stronger, was an attribute he had no other choice but to admire.

His mind couldn't help itself when he thought that she'd fit perfectly alongside him if only she had chosen to rule with him...

Clearing his throat, his eyes cast back to Rey's, watching hers open as her cheeks flushed with guilt, her tears still a threat.

"I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have done that..."

Kylo shook his head at her, grumbling a response to her as Lando came out of the castle.

"You did what you had to do, the guard will be fine," he craned his neck down to catch her gaze. "And so will you." he finished. Rey's eyes met his, their intense gaze letting the other know that they were not alone, and this would be a conversation to finish later.

Rey nodded, clearing her throat as she blinked her tears away, hoping that there were no other witnesses to the events that took place.

Lando approached the pair with several guards following suit, his short cape waving in the wind as he casually placed his hands on his hips.

"Alright. We'll meet you both in the city limits, Caleo will more than likely greet you both there as well, I imagine he'd waste no time to speak to you since your face is plastered for bounty across the galaxy." Lando smiled, and Kylo rolled his eyes, cursing Hux silently.

Rey glanced to Lando at the mention of Caleo's name, her breath steady now as she regained her composure for the company.

The stuttering man she had spoken to before she slept warned her of the man named Caleo... that worried her.

"And... We can trust him?" she timidly asked.

Lando shrugged. "He'll be hesitant to help, that's for sure. But men like Caleo are easily persuaded. Either way, watch what you say, and keep your eyes open." Lando said, glancing to Kylo.

Kylo gave a small, single nod as Lando bowed to Rey, saying his farewell to them both before him and his guards loaded into their ships, taking off towards the docking area to enter Naboo.

Rey watched, waiting until they were gone completely, her eyes scanning the area before she turned to face Kylo, his eyes already intently watching her, studying her.

"Are you-" he began to ask.

"I'm fine. I just... Nightmare is all." Rey said. It dawned on Kylo then, that she would not be revealing any part of the dream to him, although he had already seen it all. His lips formed a tight line, and he nodded, his eyes growing dark with suspicion though he did not press on.

Rey sighed, her mind still heavy although her panic was gone.

"Will we be safe here?" she asked after a moment of silence, the first question spilling out of her in hopes of tearing her mind away from the visions she previously had.

Kylo watched her for a second before glancing away. "Naboo is a lovely city. From what I hear, there are eyes and ears everywhere that belong to Caleo. If we play our cards right, he may help us. We have no other choice. We either take the chance or..."

Kylo trailed off, and Rey saw then, that they truly didn't have no other choice. If they chose to return to the Resistance now, they would all be doomed. At least they had an option, a chance to gain help in this, to take the First Order down once and for all.

"They'll hurt us?" Rey asked, her eyes cast down to the ground.

His soothing, deep voice enveloped her as he spoke.

"Not the people. No matter what side of the war I stand, the people of Naboo respect the bloodline, the name, above all." he explained. Rey scoffed, the whole idea of royalty seemed silly to her.

"Back on Jakku, people are just people." Rey breathed as she stepped past Kylo, rolling her neck to alleviate some of the tension. When she turned back to him, her eyes met his.

"What a boring place." He replied, the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips.

Rey smiled then, all visions and dreams forgotten as she met his teasing face.

With her guard lowered, she felt his impression on her mind, seeking her approval and asking if she's okay.

Rey nodded, making sure that he believed the look in her eye as she let a small smile play at her lips.

As Kylo turned to lead her back to their ship, Rey's smile dropped, knowing fully well that she was indeed not okay, and she indeed felt the presence of Snoke in her mind during her nightmare.

( X )

Kylo Ren and Rey both stood at the entrance of the large docking area at Naboo, pedestrians and guards swarming the area around them as they city's busy life continued.

Rey noticed with a confused look that a lot of people wore a dark yellow suit with the emblem of Naboo's Guardship on the sleeve.

Looking for answers, Rey looked to Kylo, though his face was focused on the group of guards that approached them now.

'You must call me Kylo here.' He spoke to her mind.

Rey's defenses immediately came up, her body and tongue already refusing, and Kylo's shoulders tensed with annoyance.

'Rey, you must. Caleo will pick up on it easily, he isn't on our side yet, and the little he knows about us the better.'

Defeated, Rey rolled her eyes as her arms crossed over her body, hearing Kylo snicker in her mind at her attitude.

The group of guards now stood in front of them, the group making a wall around the person in the middle before separating into two walls off to the side, exposing a man standing there, jewels decorating his fingers and neck, his dark, tanned skin shining in the sun as a wide smile bloomed beneath a finely trimmed goatee.

"Ah, Kylo Ren! My apologies, as I was not ready to receive the company of the Supreme Leader! Or is this the company of the Prince of the Fallen Alderaan?" the man's voice teased, a test of wits and aggression.

No doubt that this is Caleo, Rey thought as she waited patiently behind Kylo, having to peak around his arm to see them.

"Caleo. My apologies for not announcing a visit. Things have been," Kylo paused, matching the rough amusement of Caleo. "Complicated." he finished.

At this, Caleo's smile seemed more genuine as he waited for an explanation from Kylo. Rey glanced to his face, seeing his dark eyes watching Caleo carefully, not to be distracted and making sure to hold his gaze so that Caleo's focus was held on Kylo as well.

"We come seeking shelter and guidance, even an alliance if you allow it."

Caleo's ears perked up, stepping closer to Kylo as his eyes glistened with pure excitement.

"An alliance? With you? I am very open to the discussion. Your name and title hold respect here, and I am merely keeping your throne warm. I am sure we can reach an agreement."

Caleo nodded to several guards at his side, letting them go to give him privacy with Kylo and Rey, though a few stayed with Caleo, several feet behind.

"However, we are hosting a wedding for my son, a union between Naboo and the queen of Da'stell." Caleo announced, proud of this for whatever reason that Rey did couldn't understand.

Beside her, Kylo gave into Caleo's pride.

"Da'stell? I thought Naboo and Da'stell were still at odds?" he asked. Rey heard in his voice the annoyance that she knew so well.

She hid a smile.

"Yes, well, it is the time for new alliances between good and evil, light and dark..." Caleo grins as he glances from Kylo to Rey.

Out of instinct, with no hesitation Kylo stepped to the side, shielding Caleo from Rey, knowing he had already messed up by doing so. But Rey could feel Kylo in Caleo's mind, and what he had seen, he did not like.

Caleo's smile widened before he spoke.

"You and your guest have arrived at the perfect time. However, I will need to ensure that you both can be trusted. That is very understandable given the circumstances." Caleo's silky voice stated.

With a shaky breath, Kylo's hand balled into a fist as he nodded.

Caleo clapped both of his hands together, the gold rings clinking together as his laugh filled the air. "Wonderful! Sheena! Escort our guests to the Golden room! The suite with the view of the city and surrounding ocean!" Caleo again clapped with excitement rushing through him at the possibility to have a strong user of the force in his alliance cabinet.

A small framed woman came out from behind the guards, dressed in a yellow, sleeveless tunic that reached the ground with her shape, the familiar emblem that Rey saw earlier lay at the young woman's waist. She bowed to Kylo and then to Rey, who had no idea what she was doing.

"Kylo Ren! We will speak later!" Caleo boomed with a grin before slapping the back of the nearest guard with excitement, turning on his heel before being lead back to his own castle.

Rey watched as they left, her eyes falling on the yellow garbed people and the odd emblem they each seemed to carry.

( X )

The Golden room, as Caleo called it, was magnificent.

Black mixed with mahogany on every piece of furniture, white and grey accenting the rest of the suite to bring forth the perfect amount of light.

It truly was a beautiful room, unlike anything Rey had seen before.

The bedroom of the flat was mostly a tall, long bed that seemed so soft to the eye, and Rey assumed would be even softer to the touch beneath the hundreds of pillows that decorated it. The idea of sleep however, was unappealing to Rey, who was still trying to forget the nightmare she had earlier.

Forgetting the bed, Rey walked over to the kitchen, eyeing the fruit that lay in the center as she plucked up a vine of grapes, popping a few into her mouth.

She sighed, realizing that it had been a little over a day now since she had last eaten in the small hut on Arrowmada, her nice breakfast prepared by MOX. Rey wished she could go back, go back and forget the rest.

With a quick shake of her head, Rey escorted the idea out of her mind along with the nightmare, knowing fully well that this was no time to day dream.

Turning her focus to Kylo, she joined him in the large living area, a long sofa sat in the middle of the room, one of the walls was of nothing but the largest window she'd seen, a perfect view of the city and the sea in the distance.

For a moment, she stood there in front of the window, looking down at the people that had their own problems and worries, with places to go and families to return to.

It made her think of the guard she had taken energy from earlier, and guilt began to sit low in her stomach again, feeling ashamed for having done that and then mind tricking the poor man.

She felt, in that moment, that she had no other choice, she had literally felt her mind ripping apart, adding to the shock and fear that she remembered feeling in both Snoke and Vicar's throne room.

With a scowl suppressing a sob, Rey decided she was quite done with thrones and the men that believed owned them.

Turning, Rey let her gaze fall on Kylo, who had refastened his cape.

Rey's brow furrowed, confused.

"Where are you going?" she asked, feeling the apprehension tense his shoulders as she flung the rest of the vine of grapes back to the kitchen.

"Caleo is already calling for me. He's eager for our discussion, and wants to know of the guidelines for the alliance." Kylo explained.

"Just you?" Rey guessed, her anxiety coming to her in a giant, overwhelming wave.

Kylo looked at her, an apology already in his eyes though he'd never mutter it. He stepped to her, towering over her with his large body as his gloved hand cupped her cheek.

"I'll be back soon." his thumb caressed her bottom lip, and for a moment, as she felt his body against hers, their problems and worries seemed so distant.

"Are you sure you can trust him? This ma-" Rey stopped herself, unsure if she should mention the stuttering man's warning from earlier on in the day. Instead, she allowed Kylo to respond.

"As Lando said, we just need to be careful. He'll hear me out, I'll hear him out, and we will go from there." Kylo explained, stepping back to pull his gloves on.

"And we can trust Lando?"

Kylo paused for a moment, lost in his own mind. "Yes... We spoke. Lando is already in contact with my mother, though for security, he will not tell anyone we are here."

Rey watched him, studying his face that seemed to mask over his true emotions, though Rey had already seen enough when Kylo was first caught off guard by Lando's presence.

"You love him." Rey stated, not a question, but pure fact.

At this, Kylo does not respond, and deep down, Rey wasn't really expecting one, but felt as if she received the confirmation in his silence.

Sighing she cast her gaze back to the window, as Kylo moved to stand behind her, his breath on her ear.

"We don't have time for this." Rey whispered, watching the commotion of city life below. "We don't have time for so many talks and negotiations and weddings."

Kylo trailed his knuckles along the soft skin behind Rey's arm, sending a small shiver down her spine.

"Trust me. With Naboo on our side, we can change everything." He muttered, his lips tickling the top of her shoulder, his nose inhaling the scent of her hair.

Rey struggled to remain focused.

"How?" she asked, her eyes closing as she head slowly fell to the side, her neck exposing itself to Kylo, a silent beg for his lips, his teeth.

Kylo hummed his response gently against her skin, his lips never fully meeting her neck, just dancing and skimming against her pulse as it quickened with him so near.

"Naboo has been untouched by war for so many years, they have managed to build their own army, a guard over their planet and cities that their riches have bought..." He kissed her right below her ear, giving in to her silent plea that she sent form her mind to his, trying to focus on his response as she trembled against his body.

"The city hasn't been overran because of the dictatorship that is now in place..."

At this, Rey's eyes opened slowly, wondering if had to do with the people that wore the uniform.

Sighing, he stepped away from her, preparing for his leave.

Rey felt the plea on her tongue, though it never escaped, her mind nearly screamed it against the block she had against him, and with Kylo, he knew if she asked, he would have stayed.

He wasn't sure what it was anymore... But he felt both weak and strong when it came to Rey, and in the moments like this, when she looked at him as if there were no others in the galaxy, he felt lost... Lost in her.

But this was something he had to do... For her...

Kylo bent down, and Rey went onto her tip toes, eager for his lips, but instead of meeting her own he instead pressed a soft, gentle kiss to her cheek, so lovingly that Rey blushed.

Before he had no will to leave, Kylo tore himself from her, already falling into the heat of her body and marveling in the way she responded to him, he turned and left.

With a sigh, Rey let her shoulders fall, disappointed and nervous that she was alone now, the empty, silent void filling the space around her.

Dropping to her knees, her worries shuddered out of her chest as she sobbed, the nightmare replaying to her as she felt the loneliness creep in.

( X )

It seemed as though she stayed there forever, in front of the large window, watching as night time consumed the city, the lights reflecting off the tall buildings around them. The stars and moon held themselves high, cascading into the living room as Rey stood there, anger boiling over.

She waited for his return for hours.

Maybe even the full day.

She tried to reach out to him through their bond, to see if he was okay, to see if he needed help, to see what the hold up was...

But he was blocking her, harsher than ever before, even after the events on Crait.

The fact that she could feel his mind, the hard stance of his wall against her soft touch, so close, and he refused to respond, drove her mad.

She tried to eat, even calling one of the servants that stood down the hall, placed there by Caleo for her and Kylo's needs, and asked him where she could find food. The young man told her not to worry, and soon enough returned to the room with a cart of hot meals and delicious fruits Rey had never seen before.

Even the food could not tug her mind away from Kylo, from the anticipation of his return.

She debated showering, but had no clothes to change into since their belongings were still on the ship below, and she did not want to leave, eager for his arrival.

Tired from the day, and unable to sleep out of fear of her nightmare, Rey sat for hours in the living room, her eyes shut as she tried to find Flora, tried to find the energy of her student, her friend. But nothing came of it, after hours of trying, nothing came of it.

Rey slammed her fist into the ground, pain shooting up into her arm though she gave no attention to it, her heart and head aching with desperation.

'Trust me.' Kylo had said before he left.

She tried.

( X )

Hours later, the city settled into its own sleep as Rey still stood in front of the window, her knees aching. Sitting down only made her agitation worse, and she began to fidget with the dark belt at her waist.

So, she stood, and she waited.

Sighing, she waited...

( X )

The moment the door flung open, her eyes immediately went to the tall figure of the man who caused her this frustration.

Her anger made her blood boiled, her heartbeat quickening as her arms crossed, her eyes heavy on him as he turned the corner, his own eyes on the bed, surprised to see that she was not there.

His head whipped around, his gaze falling on her standing there, bathed in anger and the moonlight from the window.

Even in the dark place she stood, surrounded by heat and annoyance, this is what he wanted...After a day like this, this is what he needed.

"Where the hell we-" she began, her voice was heavy, demanding and unrecognizable to her.

She was cut off as Kylo walked to her, hovering over her before he hesitantly placed his forehead against hers.

Her eyebrows drew together, unable to place her energy on what was troubling him. She felt a storm coursing through him, sudden and intense, and in the background was his mental block against her, unwilling to be torn down to reveal his worries.

At this, her anger seemed to dissolve itself, her own worries fading away now that he stood before her.

Reaching up, her hand brushed his cheek, a silent inquiry to what was wrong.

The soft and sudden contact sent a small tremble through his large body. As if his knees gave out beneath him, he knelt to her, both of his arms circling her waist, gripping her so tight that she knew she'd bruise as he pressed his face into her abdomen.

Worry and fear approached her nerves, afraid for what was going through his mind, for what he himself was going through, wondering if he was doing this to himself.

She reached out again, his block there as waves of black enveloped his mind.

As if confronting a barred door, she gave a quick, forceful shove to his mind, breaking through his block and entering the world he so desperately tried to hide from her.

Darkness swirled everywhere around her, around him, unforgiving and brutal in its rawness.

Guilt, burden, shame – it was everywhere within him, and there in his mind, she stood on a rock in the middle of his ocean of self-hatred, taming the wild waves of anger and loathing.

She felt it then, as she marveled in the opportunity that he was not pushing her out, she felt the love he had for her, and how undeserving he felt of it, unsure of what to with how she felt for him, unsure of what to do with how he himself felt for her.

The waives of guilt and shame crashed around them, all having to do with the war he brought upon his mother, the murder of his own father, the disappointment he brought to Lando, and even a hint of remorse for how dealt with Luke and the academy.

Rey felt how severe the indecision was when it came to her and the Resistance, his mind, body and soul being split and torn into pieces as the light and dark tried to force its will on him.

He was at war with himself, hidden beneath the persona of this royal authoritative figure he was forced to play, buckling now that he was finished with Caleo, and in the presence of his true weakness, and his greatest strength...

Rey.

She couldn't help the small gasp the escaped as she combed her fingers through his hair, wishing so desperately that she could take his hate away.

Her heart ached for him as tears sprung to her eyes.

How could she protect him from himself?

She had no idea. How could he see that she was just as unworthy as he?

Slowly, his mind closed to her as she crept back out, the reality sitting in with them both that they were equally scared, equally lost in the dark and light side of the force, and in the void they stood together.

Rey moved her hand, tugging his hair back so that he was force to look up at her, meeting her soft and caring eyes with his shameful ones.

For the first time, he sat there, fully exposed to someone, feeling as though he was truly not alone.

And for the first time, he knelt before someone that he truly loved, someone he truly worshipped.

Rey's soft eyes drifted to his lips, trailing back to his gaze before she slowly bent down, her lips landing on his as a soft sigh escaped her, no longer able to worry about what happened with his meeting with Caleo and what would come of it.

She felt as though she was falling, until she realized that Kylo had dragged her to him, pressing her warm body against his as he picked her up gently, his mouth never leaving hers while he moved his hand to her backside, placing her gently to the floor.

Her back arched against the cold flooring, fitting tightly against Kylo's, a hiss falling from his mouth into hers.

Rey's tongue lightly played across his bottom lip, his mouth instantly pushing urgently against hers while his hand moved upwards from her calf, inching feverishly to her hip, up the side of her ribcage.

Rey's breath caught, giving him quick and easy access to taste her tongue with his, a seductive, slow dance beginning as warmth spread throughout her body.

She could feel how different this was from the other couple of times they had made love. He wasn't shying away from her, and he wasn't as gentle either as large hands made quick work of removing her tunic, tugging it up over her head and throwing it off to the side, her pants and binding soon followed.

He leaned back on his knees, staring down at the breathless jedi before him, naked and bathed in the moonlight as she peered up at him, her dark hooded eyes pleading with him to touch her again.

She saw the same hunger in his own eyes as his gaze fell over her, allowing him to study her with no shame in her body as he paused to admire every inch of her. He wanted this, she felt it in the urgent way he came to her tonight, in fact he needed it, and that she too, felt.

She refused to hide beneath her own hands, instead allowing him to look at her, to take what he wanted with his eyes.

She belonged to him. And he belonged to her.

The primal claim must have vibrated through their bond as his eyes flashed to hers, his jaw tight and his eyes never leaving hers as he stood to remove his clothing, Rey's eyes on him as her gaze raked down over him, admiring every muscle and scar, pausing to pay special attention to the thick, hard member that called to her, that now belonged to her.

Her core throbbed with want, slick with the need he drew out of her as he returned to the floor, his mouth at her neck, catching her earlobe between his teeth, a soft moan coming to life from within her as her legs opened, allowing him closer.

One hand held him up above her as his mouth worked at the flesh of her neck, pulling and earning every tremble and moan, claiming it as his own while his other hand roamed from her knee, inching up her warm thigh.

"Ben..." she whimpered, her hips jutting upwards with her plea, begging to be touched there, begging for him to claim all of her.

His mouth refused a response, instead filling itself with the flesh at her neck, moving down past her collar bone, and finding itself at her breast, his tongue lapping at her hardened nipple before taking the bud between his teeth.

Her finger nails clawed at his back before skimming over the nape of his neck, summoning a shiver from him, his throbbing member rubbing against the most sensitive parts of her.

Rey couldn't recognize the throaty moan that escaped her as her own, the sound so raw and needy as she writhed beneath him, and just then, his hand came in contact with her center, cupping her there in his large palm.

She cried out in both pleasure and want, asking for more as her eyes drifted close, his mouth still on her breast, his fingertips circling over the bud at her core, his fingers getting lost in her wet folds.

Rey's hand gripped at his hair, tugging away at it as her eyes opened, her body hot and trembling.

She met his gaze then just as he leaned away from her, his dark, hooded eyes curtained by his hair.

It dawned on her then, that they were on full display in front of the window, in front of the city of Naboo, high up in the building, lost in the clouds of the night.

In that moment, she had no care in the world for who saw.

She was wet and wild, full of want for her equal in the galaxy, knowing he was the only one that could force such breathless moans from her, knowing that he was the only one that could claim her in such an animalistic way.

Her mind screamed this all to him, unknowingly.

Her thoughts and words drew a breathless hiss from him, his fingers pausing their movement on her.

He quickly moved to her, his mouth on hers as he pressed a hard, urgent kiss, biting her lip as he aligned his hips with hers, entering her in the swiftest motion as if he was made to do this, and she was made to form around him.

Rey cried out a sound between a whimper and a moan, her back arching her against him, pulling him in deeper as he shuddered at her tightness and warmth. Every time felt like their first, raw and heated, primal and charged.

He took her there on the floor, the moonlight bathing them as he thrust hard into her, her legs wrapping around his wide waist as their breathy moans filled the silence, both Kylo and Rey staking their claim on each other, marking each other with bites and scratches.

She could feel how close she was, to the moment when she would feel herself explode around him, her vision blurry and her world hot as she basked in the world he had introduced her to, a world of love and pleasure – a place where they were equally selfish and equally giving.

She knew she could never give this up, never give him up...

She wanted to stay there forever, taking him, giving herself to him for every need he wished for, for every worry he wished to rid himself of.

She was irrevocably in love with him, and her breathless voice muttered this to him between her moans, her mind opening to him just as her legs did, drowning him in a world of absolute love, harsh and forgiving just as Rey was.

Their hips clapped together, loud and powerful as he drove himself into her, his pace growing as Rey's head tossed back against the floor.

"Oh, Ben..." she whimpered. "I love you... I love you... Just you..."

His head came to rest heavily between her breasts as his thrusts grew urgent, his release approaching just as hers was, her core pulsating around his member, tighter and hotter with every movement.

"Mi cyare..." he whispered against her chest, his voice raspy and deep, breathless against her skin as he worked himself inside of her. "My beloved..."

Rey trembled, and the tremor caused her to shift along his member in such a delicious way that she unraveled before him, gasping his name over and over, the name he once swore to forget, and now, all he can remember.

As her release poured over him , he lost himself in her, his own release coating the walls of her center as she withered against his body, a loud groan escaping him as the moon looked on, and the stars smiled.

( X )

HOW'S THIS FOR A LONGER CHAPTER?! Lol, thank you for reading! I hope you all enjoyed. I tried for a long chapter, and as I said, it did take me a little while longer to post. I'll continue doing it this way, if that's what you all like. Please let me know if you liked the chapter! :D


	52. Chapter 52

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT AHEAD.**

A few hours later, Rey lay in bed with Kylo, her bare chest to the mattress, wrapped in a white sheet as he trailed a rough fingertip down her spine, so lightly that she woke from the shiver that coursed through her.

"Mmmm." she murmured, deeply inhaling as she turned to face him, a shy smile playing across her warm face.

Kylo peered down at her, having been awake for nearly the entire night after he had made love to her before Naboo, the window open for full view from the city. The thought alone made his ears redden, and his member slightly stirred.

His mind was uneasy though, unable to stop it from constantly running back and forth from thoughts of Hux, to his plan, the odd presence of Snoke that he felt in Rey's mind, and his meeting with Caleo. His day came crashing down when he had returned to Rey, the urgent need for her turned to a craving he wasn't sure he could sate.

It seemed to always be that way with her, a constant need and want, a new experience every time he was near her, their bond singing with every breath. It confused him, the utter rawness of their connection as it grew deeper and deeper the more time they seemed to spend with each other.

He couldn't complain though, as he sat naked in bed with the woman that drove him crazy with want, that seemed to work his nerves and his body just the same.

Kylo's eyes trailed from the arch of her back, to her wild hair spread across the soft, white sheets, and up to her face that was so warm and inviting.

Rey noticed immediately how his eyes grew dark with a familiar hunger as he studied her, sending nothing but warmth and need down to her center.

She glanced down from his hard gaze, taking her time to admire his scar before lowering her eyes to his chest, the outline of his muscles standing out so proudly as the sun began to rise. Rey looked back to his face, her lashes fluttering slowly as she gave him a look so tempting that he nearly took her there.

Bending his head low, he pressed a soft, lazy kiss to her shoulder as her eyes closed in delight as he trailed more kisses across her upper back, sweeping some of her hair to the side.

"I feel as though I could do this forever." she murmured, her eyes opening a moment later as she realized she had said it out loud.

She felt him smirk against the back of her shoulder, wishing she could see his face as her cheeks pinked.

"We very well can. We'll need to get some contraceptives though." he muttered, his lips still busy as he tasted new spots of her that he hadn't before.

"Mmmm... So, there will be more of this?" she asked, her tone light and seducing as the bed moved, Kylo's body now pressing hard against her back, his member awake and standing tall against her bum.

Rey's body instinctively pressured against his, arching against the bed as she fit to him like a puzzle piece, a sharp curse escaping his lips as she moved her body down his when he breathlessly answered, "Yes. Much, much more."

Kylo slipped a knee between hers, spreading them apart just enough to kneel behind her, his hands gripping her waist so tightly that she had no other choice but to do as he guided when he forced her onto her own knees, pushing herself up on her arms.

Moving quickly, so much that Rey lost her breath, Kylo shot his hands out to grip her wrists with one hand, holding them above her head as she arched against him and Rey let out a low grumble of a moan.

The air filled with Kylo's ragged breath behind her as he tried to pace himself with the wild creature he attempted to tame, his desire building along with hers.

Keeping his hip pressed against her, he let his large hand lay flat against the cheek of her backside, the idea of spanking her there briefly entered his mind, and he guessed the thought must have been loud as Rey stilled beneath him, high with anticipation as she wiggled.

The corner of Kylo's mouth turned up, the idea of teasing her becoming much more appealing.

Instead, he ran his hand up the long crease of her back, her arms still suspended before her as her cheek pressed against the mattress, bent to his every will and command.

The air was thick with their arousal, the sun peaking at them behind the clouds.

His hand trailed from her backside to her hip, giving a stern squeeze as he felt out her flesh and bone, moving so slowly to the part of her that begged for him, slick with proof.

Rey's eyes drifted close, her lips parting as she waited, trying her best to conceal her plea as she whispered it into the sheets.

His touch growing softer by the second, one long, thick finger came in contact with her folds, barely touching her, yet leaving her skin searing with heat.

"Hmm?" he hummed, knowing fully well what she had said, what she begged.

Rey's stubbornness came out, hidden beneath her hair and masked by the mattress as she refused to repeat herself, her teeth biting down against her lip, letting her body talk instead as she pressed back against him, trying to urge his hand.

A whimper escaped her as she felt his hand leave her completely, and instead burying deep into her hair, gripping softly as he tugged her back. Her core throbbed, shocked at how exotic it felt to be at his mercy like this, his hands rough though he never came close to causing pain.

"What was that?" he repeated, his tone dark and deep, a rumble coursing throughout his body and into hers.

Against her will, the word escaped into a breathless shiver. "Please..."

He leaned down against her, his nose skimming her jaw, his hand still in her hair, holding her back towards him. "Say it." Kylo's voice demanded of her.

Kylo waited as a tremor shook through Rey, her warm body shaking against his hard member, causing a stiff twitch against her as he groaned.

"Please...Touch me...Really touch me..." she begged, her eyes shut.

Needing no other encouragement, he released her hair, allowing her to settle back to the bed as he dragged his hand down her back once more, squeezing her hip before giving into her plea, basking in the wetness that awaited him, that was caused by him.

His fingers cupped her, circling over the sensitive nub that made her jerk and gasp, one finger entering her tight warmth in a single swift move.

Kylo shuddered against her just as she writhed before him, marveling at how hot and wet she was, her body so responsive to him.

In his training, he was always taught that passion for such things as sex was a mere distraction, even weakness in most cases. If they ever had anything even close to Rey, he understood now.

His finger delved into her slowly, backing out, and entering her with its own hard thrust, determined to make her yield under his own hand. Kylo's head drifted down as his eyes closed, resting his forehead at the back of her shoulder as she whimpered at his touch, her breathing hitching at every move of his hand.

Rey's cheeks began to flush with heat, her need beginning to turn into a strong crave that only he would be able to satisfy, her abdomen growing taunt as she shuddered against his chest, the thick member that waited for its turn poking at her inner thigh.

Breathless, Rey couldn't help the cheeky smile that came to play at her lips, anticipation and desire making quick work of her insides.

Through their bond, just as it always did during these times, the heat spiked the air and seemed to freeze time around them, the force rumbling at the power they created between them.

Kylo relished the feeling, the power they created somehow calmed his own desperate need for it elsewhere, finding all his answers, and needs, and wants within the woman that quivered with need for him.

Kylo bit her shoulder just as he entered a second finger, causing Rey to cry out, a silent desire answered, tightening around his digits.

She was so close now.

He could feel it, in his mind, in her body, on his hand.

So close...

Just then, a loud knock at the door interrupted his attack on Rey, irritating him. Beneath him, Rey attempted to move away from him, but Kylo refused, instead quickening the pace of his fingers as she trembled, forcing Rey to hide her gasps into the mattress.

"For Kylo Ren?" a determined voice called from the other side of the door.

Kylo refused an answer, his hooded eyes focused on Rey as he sat back on his knees, finally letting her arms free. He watched hungrily as she clawed at the bed, her thighs trying to close as her release threatened its arrival.

"Kylo Ren!" the voice called again, followed by a group of furious pounds on the door.

With his mind, Kylo quickly shoved away the being on the other side of the door, a loud 'thump' filling the air as a shuffle of footsteps hurried away before coming back, this time more hesitantly after being thrown back against the wall.

Though he was irritated at the unannounced guest, Kylo's lack of breathing was not for that, instead, the cause being Rey as she groaned loudly when his free hand trailed to her hip, and up to her breast, the fingers inside of her drawing out her quick and vivid release as she shattered against his hand, her core tightening and pulsing with heat as she came.

Kylo winced with pleasure, feeling her release against him as his own member throbbed painfully with want.

On his knees, Kylo gripped himself, a solid, long stroke prepping it for the ride to his own ecstasy as he slowly withdrew his fingers from Rey, who gave one final shudder, her body still breathless and trembling as she anticipated him.

Again, another knock.

"Um...Sir...Caleo of Naboo demands your presence." the voice called again.

Kylo froze, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his manhood just as he was going to slide home.

Rey focused on regaining her breath, feeling the atmosphere change at Kylo's sudden aggravated mood.

He knew this was not a call he could avoid.

With his breathing still hard, and his body eager, he glanced down to Rey, who was turning onto her back in front of him, her face flushed and hair a mess around her.

Her body still shook from her release, her gaze lazy, though still wanting.

As she did last night, she did not shield herself from his view.

Again, his member twitched in his hand, catching her gaze quickly as she studied how he held himself.

Her attention grabbed his own, and mindlessly, he gave himself one final stroke, his rage peaking as another knock came to the door.

"A moment!" Kylo roared, turning to the door. The guest's energy was fearful, and both Kylo and Rey could all but feel his trembling.

With a frustrated sigh, Kylo released himself, turning to grab for his clothing as Rey watched, a small smile at her lips, still dazed.

Kylo cursed the entire way, from finding his clothing, to dressing himself, to fastening his saber at his hip, to strapping his boots on, and then his cape. There could not have been a worst time to intrude. He had Rey... and he was so close to driving himself in, to being enveloped in that heat and slickness that he had brought forth...

With a hiss, he put his gloves on, raking his hair out of his face before turning to Rey, who was still naked and unashamed on their bed, watching him with an arm bent beneath her head as a cushion.

Kylo's jaw tightened as he watched her, his eyes unwillingly traveling down her sun kissed body.

He froze, his eyes taking all of her in.

Rey drew invisible doodles against the skin at her stomach, studying Kylo just as he was studying her.

Clearing her throat, she spoke.

"You know, we could make it quite quick... He wouldn't even notice that you were gone." she tempted, her eyes steady on him.

Smirking, he replied. "Quick?" he slowly strode to where she lay, sitting next to her on the bed and bending down to lay a soft kiss at her warm cheeks before whispering in her ear as her lashes fluttered close. "The next time I take you, you'll be begging me to stop."

With that he rose, excusing himself to answer Caleo's summon, leaving Rey on the bed with a wide smile.

( X )

It had been nearly half the day again, and Kylo Ren still had not returned to her.

She did have to admit to sleeping for part of it, though she found it hard to sleep without him near, questioning herself for when that had happened. She had never been dependent on anybody in her life, but the calm that Kylo seemed to bring to her was mesmerizing.

Sighing, Rey dressed and headed for the door.

It didn't take long at all to find herself in the middle of the city, fascinated with how different it looked from the window in the suite, unable to see the simple and little things down below from such a tall height.

She found that, similar to Cinnon'Ra, vendors filled the streets with hopes of selling different products, majority of it seemed to be the delicious fruit she had eaten in their room.

To Rey, the city itself seemed beautiful, full of active life, continuously going on without a care in the world for the rest of it. Smiling faces greeted her at every corner, offering their prizes and goods.

She wondered if it had always been like this, and eventually, Rey daydreamt what it'd be like if Jakku had a similar system on the dry planet, thinking what happen if a splash of water touched it.

With a shake of her head, Rey cast the idea out, not believing she would ever return to the place she once called home. Looking around, she glanced at the people and creatures that resided here, wishing desperately that she was instead, looking at the faces of those at the Rebel base.

'Only a matter of time...' she thought to herself with a long sigh.

Slowly walking along the gravel of a nearby walkway, Rey turned her head when she saw some commotion out of the corner of her eye. A few pedestrians ran by several patrol groups that were dressed in the yellow tunics and wore the Naboo emblem she had seen on her arrival.

Her brows furrowed, and her energy was then abruptly pulled to the opposite of her, her eyes landing on a small boy across the street.

The boy looked around, trying to see if any onlookers were there to witness his next act, his small hand quickly grabbing a piece of fruit that lay at the vendor's table. The cashier gasped as she turned, jumping at the sight of a small being behind her, unaware that he had been there. The boy, frightened, took off running.

One of the groups of patrols quickly came over, and Rey made her way to the vendor as the catlike cashier shook her heard furiously, a hand reaching out to the guard's chest.

"No! Please don't hurt the child! It was only fruit, I let him!" she pled with wide eyes as the guard harshly grabbed her wrist and removed it from his chest before he turned to join the other guards taking off into a sprint to find the boy.

Rey ran to the woman as the guards left. "The boy, what direction did he run off to?" she asked urgently, determined to find the boy before the guards did out of fear on what they would do to them. Rey did not know the laws of Naboo, but she knew for certain that she did not like the feeling she had of these guards.

With wide eyes, the cat woman pointed behind Rey, and Rey gave her a small nod before turning to take off, however the woman grabbed Rey's wrist, halting her.

Rey's looked at her questioningly, and the vendor merely placed a finger to her own lips, a sign to cease talking. With her eyes on the woman, she watched as the woman's gaze fell to her other hand, shifting it back and forth to reveal a ring that had the sign of the Rebel Alliance shimmering on it.

Rey's eyes landed on it, knowing exactly what it meant, finding some odd sense of relief float through her. Just then, the woman slipped a piece of paper from her pocket and into Rey's hand.

Their gazes met once more before the woman nodded towards something behind Rey, silently telling her to find the boy.

Rey nodded, turning on her heel and breaking into a sprint as she stuffed the note into the pocket of her cloak.

She tried finding the boy through the force, though after a few moments, she had to force herself to stop running, and truly focus as she felt her energy being pulled into so many directions around her, alarming her senses as she felt people nearly begging for help, though she couldn't understand with what.

Looking around her, she again spotted all of their smiling faces and nothing more.

Frustrated, Rey shut her eyes, her fingers stretching out as she tuned in, finding the wave of energy she had previously felt when she first spotted the boy, and in a bolt, she took off.

As she grew closer, she was pulled down a nearly empty street, screams in the distance from a young boy and the sound of a whip cracking in the air.

Rey froze, her breathing heavy.

She was getting close...

Very close...

Just then, she felt the surge of Kylo's force signature around her, knowing he was nearby.

'Ben!' she called to his mind as she ran.

'Ben! A child, he needs our help!'

Silence.

He did not return her call.

Again, the boy's energy called to her as panic rose around him, and Rey quickly turned the corner down an alley, only to find the boy unscathed and standing patiently next to Caleo and several guards, Kylo in attendance as he stood near the wall, so close to Rey that she could feel the heat of his body, and the panic.

Winded, Rey glanced from the boy, to Caleo, to Kylo. Her brows furrowed in fright and anger.

"Be-… Kylo, the boy... I..." she stumbled, still confused as she looked at their faces.

He stood there frozen and emotionless as he looked down at her.

'Trust me.' he whispered to her mind just as his hand reached toward her.

Rey quickly reared back, catching his wrist, knowing fully well that he was going to try and mess with her mind or put her to sleep.

"What are you doing!" she exclaimed, anger quickly overtaking her confusion.

Kylo was taken aback at her quickness, that she was able to see exactly what he had planned on doing.

Caleo had no patience, the snap of his fingers had a guard behind Rey instantly, the sharp point of a needle pressing into the skin at her neck, making her gasp.

Rey stumbled against Kylo, letting his large wrist go as she tried to catch herself on his tunic, and then his hand.

'Trust me.' he begged to her mind again.

"What are...wh-" Rey's lids began to drift as she tried her hardest to stay awake and alert, her legs giving out as she collapsed to the ground, the smile of Caleo was the last thing she saw before unconsciousness took her.

( X )

Yay for another update! Not as long as before, but still something :D More action and Reylo-ness in the next chapter. Feedback please? It makes me post faster :)


	53. Chapter 53

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT AHEAD.**

Black... Nothing but black...

Was she sleeping?... No... No, this wasn't sleep...

She tried to wake herself, her own groggy, lazy voice screamed at her mind to wake up...But her head was throbbing, and her cheek burned...

What had happened? Rey asked herself over and over as her muscles began to warm again, her eyelids slowly drifting open, blinking the burn away as the lights above her brightened her vision.

Inhaling sharply, she sat up straight from the medical bed she had been placed on, her neck sore from the spot the needle pressed into.

The needle...

Her hand flew up to rest at the spot as she remembered the events that led her here. How long had she been out?

She couldn't tell since there were no windows...

As she looked around the room, her anger rising, she realized then how small the room actually was, her reflection staring back at her from the mirrored walls all around her, unsure where the door even was.

"You're safe here." a silky voice said to her.

Rey's head whipped to the side, just now realizing Caleo sat there in a chair, studying her. His eyebrows shot up, his hands in the air as a slow smile crept onto his lips.

"Truly, I come in peace." He chuckled, though Rey was not amused in the slightest. She moved to the edge of the bed, wanting so badly to get up and move, but she still felt groggy and out of sorts.

So instead, she sat there and glared at him with a throbbing headache.

"If that were true, you wouldn't have gone through so much trouble to get me here." Rey seethed, her small hand held to her temple.

"My apologies my lady, I just wanted to talk." Caleo cooed as he settled back into his chair, his leg resting atop the other.

"Not sure how it is on Naboo, but on Jakku, when someone wanted to talk, they just simply said so. They didn't take the cowards way out by drugging and kidnapping a person." Rey bit, her tone of voice just as harsh as the cold look she was giving him.

Caleo snickered, watching her in silence.

After a moment, her anger rising, she demanded answers. "What happened? And where is Be-… Where is Kylo?"

He shook his head at her, hushing her before she could finish her questions. "It's just a little dose of truth serum. You are safe as long as you don't act out, and so is he... How odd it is to see someone with such... concern... over the Supreme Leader of the First Order..." His gaze drifted away to the ground before shooting back to her face to catch her reaction.

Rey's furrowed brows relaxed before he could spot any detection of her worries for Kylo.

Moving to stand, Rey again glanced around to find the door, still no luck.

Her irritation was vastly growing, and Rey was unable to determine if it was because of Caleo or Kylo.

Caleo chuckled once more, scratching at his beard aimlessly. "I assure you, you are safe-"

Rey cut him off, a hard scowl aimed directly at him. "What is it you want?"

At this, he grinned, his eyebrow cocking high. He was warned of her temper, and she was in no way letting him down.

"Just a few answers to a few questions."

( X )

From the other side of the mirrored walls, Lando, Kylo, and a few of Caleo's guards watched the exchange.

Each of their faces were frozen, the air thick with anticipation, as if watching a lion circle its prey, though only Kylo knew which was the predator in this situation.

He was against this plan of action, highly against it, in fact he nearly blew their entire plan when Caleo had demanded this route, the events of the morning replaying in his head as Caleo had sat on his throne, surrounded by guards.

 _"I want to ensure that she is of no threat." Caleo waved his hand in the air. "And you will not warn her."_

 _"I swear it, I will not warn her...Let me retrieve her, and we will retur-"_

 _"No! We will get her now. We will do this my way if you are wanting this alliance." Caleo sneered just as Lando shot a message to Kylo's mind, who was beginning to shake with anger...Just one flick of his wrist and this so-called leader would be done with..._

 _'Don't test him. We're surrounded right now, and his guards are everywhere at the suite she's at.' Lando advised._

 _Silently, Kylo cursed._

 _He knew Lando was right._

 _He wouldn't be able to act out now, to refuse this stupid request without suffering the consequences._

 _And so, there they stood, waiting for Rey in the ally as one of Caleo's child slaves set the trap, Caleo of course taking advantage of the fact that the young boy was force sensitive, and for this, keeping him close._

 _With the boy there, loyal and ready to serve Caleo, Kylo was at their mercy, lucky that he was even able to whisper to Rey's mind, begging for her to trust him in that moment._

His breathing grew harder, his rage filling his blood and heating his skin as he watched Rey and Caleo speak behind the mirror walls.

"And what questions can I answer for you? Or should I drug you first before I answer? You know, to be fair." Rey said sarcastically, her eyes cold and fixated on him.

Beside Kylo, Lando chuckled softly. "I like this girl." he whispered.

Kylo couldn't help his mind when he agreed, hoping that she wouldn't feel betrayed by his actions, feeling that he had no choice without messing everything up.

Stone faced, he continued to watch.

Caleo's smile faded, watching Rey for any sign of dishonesty.

"What are you doing here, in Naboo, with Kylo Ren?" Caleo asked, his voice stern and expectant of her answer.

Rey remained quiet, her narrowed eyes still pouring daggers at him, yet her mind was elsewhere as she wondered what Kylo had told him, what she was allowed to say.

"I don't..." her stomach flipped, pausing her answer. Unsure of the sudden nausea, she tried again. "I'm not s..." her mouth shut quickly, her heartbeat quickening as Caleo smirked.

"Truth serum."

Rey's head began to throb harder as her nerves worked hastily to cool her down, and she assumed, only activating this serum further. With the lie at the tip of her tongue, Rey doubled over and vomited at the other side of the bed.

In the background, Caleo laughed as Rey threw up the remainder of the contents in her stomach, coughing once she was done.

Rey fell to the ground as her stomach pulled with a painful cramp, pressing her back against the mirrors as she tried to catch her breath.

She briefly glanced up, wondering if the door was above them on the ceiling, yet still, nothing.

"If you're trying to use the force, it will not help you in this room." Caleo stated, turning to glance at her from the rings he was playing with on his fingers. "The mirrors are outlined with fendonian crystals, an energy much higher than that of the force. It'll block it the moment you try."

Caleo's grin returned as he continued. "My lady, you give me no choice but to question. Out of the blue, the wanted man that is the ruler of the First Order shows up at my doorstep with a jedi allied with the Resistance. I'm sure if you were in my position, you would not be as lenient as I have been."

At that, Rey's glare slowly faded, her brows furrowed though with frustration.

The way he explained, she guessed she could have understood...

Only if her neck wasn't throbbing, her temple pulsing harshly, and her stomach empty...

Maybe, then, she could have understood.

Caleo leaned forward in his chair, facing her now. "So, child, tell me why?"

Scowling, she physically felt as though she had no choice.

"Kylo...Kylo..." Her chest rose heavily with every breath as the truth struggles itself out. "Kylo believed we could trust you, and that you could help us defeat General Hux and his army and the weaponry they have created."

Rey's jaw clenched so tightly after the words tumbled, she feared she might break a tooth before she continued. "My friends... Are in trouble... And I need help..." she finished.

"What kind of trouble?" Caleo asked, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Rey sighed angrily. "The First Order have attacked them, and they are just drifting through space, nowhere to go."

Rey shut her eyes tight as her voice left her unwillingly.

It wasn't fair.

She wanted so desperately to talk to Kylo, to sort out what happened, to demand her own answers and expect nothing but truth from him just as Caleo was doing with her.

'Done...Done with men and their thrones.' her mind repeated to herself.

Anger and hurt flowed through her at a fast pace now, entangling with each other as her breathing steadied.

Caleo leaned forward more, watching her intently as she stared up at the ceiling, feeling the atmosphere change, confused.

Kylo felt it then, on the other side of the wall, still invisible to Rey. He wasn't sure how, but she was managing to harness the energy within the walls used to keep the force out, and instead, manipulated it in such a way that she was making it her own.

Just then, she leaned over once more, vomiting again.

He watched as she wiped at her mouth, blood streaking on the back of her hand as he realized she was ridding herself of the serum, even if it was causing her even more pain.

Rey gulped, her eyes bloodshot as she stood from the floor, her hand on the mirrors as she walked along them, touching each one in hopes of finding the door that led out.

Just then, she came across the one that separated her from Kylo, and she hesitated there, still only able to see her reflection, Kylo watched as she squinted, as if she was looking directly at him...

He froze, his lips slightly parting as she searched the mirror, but was distracted when Caleo spoke from behind her.

"And what's to stop me from just handing you both over to General Hux? I'm sure there would be quite the reward..." he teased, the threat very much alive in his tone.

Rey glanced away from the mirror, her fingers falling away the wall as she laughed, the amusement missing.

"I would advise not underestimating Kylo Ren."

Caleo settled back against his chair, smiling at her as Rey faced him.

"And in the end, was that Snoke's deathly cost?"

Rey froze, her nerves already masking over the pain she felt in her body.

Whatever energy that was within the walls seemed to dwindle, her defenses lining up as she met his equally tense gaze while she thought of her answer.

She knew the serum was nearly out of her system, the proof of it lay in the corner of the room as the blue film coated over the bile.

But she could not deny the urge to say it out loud, to use the truth as a tactic, and to say it just as it had happened all those months ago.

The actuality of it was brute, maybe even barbaric if she chose her words correctly.

Rey wasn't sure what it was that overcame her, that drove her to say it so bluntly. Maybe it was the fact that she felt fed up with being a pawn in this game, or that she was truly tired of people believing her to be so weak.

Either way, when Rey slowly stalked over to Caleo, leaning over him as she held herself up with the arms of his chair and bent her neck to meet him at eye level, his eyes grew slightly wide, all traces of his smile gone as she spoke.

"Yes. That was exactly Snoke's downfall. I watched first hand as Kylo Ren looked down at me with blank, coal eyes as if he were bored, as if killing me would have been as easy as swatting away a fly. I watched his eyes turn the harshest black as he tore his saber through Snoke's body, and I turned to watch that same body split in half on the floor." Rey smiled, her eyes hard on Caleo, his breathing hitching as his fear filled the room.

Rey continued, "Underestimating Kylo Ren is a death sentence that even a suicidal man would not make."

From beside him, Lando glanced at Kylo, and he felt the guard's attention turn to him in disbelief.

Kylo, however, kept his eyes right on Rey. He felt an odd sense of pride spike within him at the dark way she used her words, but he knew she was not finished.

Rey's smile widened as she let out a soft chuckle, "Kylo Ren would be foolish not to attempt an alliance with you." Her eyes locked with Caleo. "And you, would be foolish not to trust him."

For a moment, they stayed there frozen as they studied one another, though Caleo is the only one that held fear in his eyes.

With that, Rey straightened herself, feeling as though the conversation was well and done, that he got the point.

"And you?" Caleo asked, and Rey noticed his voice was just a bit shaky.

"You... You would be foolish to underestimate me."

Just then, Rey channeled her emotions and physical pain into a push that tumbled out from within her with such a giant wave that the mirrored walls came crashing down, shards and blades breaking into even tinier pieces.

The entire time, her eyes never left Caleo's.

With a sharp exhale, Rey demanded that she not break this stride of confidence and intimidation, a careful game she had only attempted a handful of times. Her abdomen was killing her, her mind strained from pushing past the crystals the walls had been lined with.

Yet, she still stood tall, jaw tight as she turned to leave, glass crunching beneath her foot as she left the room.

As she glanced up, she met Kylo's gaze, who was struggling to hide his own shock as his gaze bore into her.

Emotionless, she walked passed him, and left the facility.

( X )

She let the force call her to the suite.

It had taken some time, because she was truly exhausted, and her anger was building up to a new peak that she feared she couldn't tame.

The moment she returned there, she went straight to the fresher and started up a shower, letting the hot steam fill the room, hot water cascading down onto her soft skin as she let it soothe her aches.

Sitting on the floor of the shower, she couldn't help but begin to worry if she went too far, and if maybe, just maybe, she had doomed her friends and all of the Resistance.

'Caleo could be bought.' Lando's words echoed to her.

But could he be intimidated? He seemed weak enough...

She could only hope.

Sighing, Rey stood, rolling her neck against the stream of hot water before washing the rest of her, worry and rage still filling her as she cleansed her body and brushed her teeth after staying beneath the water for over an hour, her skin beginning to wrinkle.

She couldn't bring herself to get back into the same clothes she wore, the idea of it seemed so unappealing after the day's events.

Instead, Rey reached for the white towel folded neatly on the shelf, shutting the water off before wrapping herself in the cloth, just as she felt Kylo's presence enter the suite, the sound of his loud steps echoing across the floor.

She sighed once more before exiting, and the anger she thought she cooled down rose again once she met his timid eyes.

"What in the stars was that?" she demanded, her cheeks already reddening as he gulped, his own breathing hard.

Rey's sights landed on everything behind him, however.

Baskets of fruits sat on top of every table, bouquets of flowers accompanying them on the rest of the furniture, and racks of clothing and shoes lay about everywhere.

Her brows furrowed as she turned her heated and confused gaze back to Kylo.

"What-"

"Gifts. From Caleo... an apology." Kylo stuttered out as he continued to watch her. He knew on the stride back to the suite that she would be angry with him.

"Has..." Rey hesitated, shock coursing through her. "Has he agreed to an alliance? Will he help us?"

Kylo nodded slowly, his eyes both apologetic and relieved. "Yes. But only after the wedding."

Rey rolled her eyes, sharply inhaling as she silently screamed that they had no time for this, however this was not the moment for that. They had gained his trust, and an alliance has been worked out in favor of the Resistance, and that was a victory in itself.

Setting aside the triumph, Rey quickly regained her composure, a cold glare shooting directly at Kylo.

Even after everything, he couldn't blame her, even as he struggled through his own feeling of disappointment with himself.

Rey eyed him, glancing from him back to the gifts throughout the room, uneasy with the fact that all of these were delivered while she showered.

She bit the inside of her cheek as she crossed her arms over herself, watching as Kylo began to pace, their bond beginning to static. She felt that should have been angrier with him, that she should have been demanding answers right about now but all that filled her was contentment that he was here.

Rey sighed, annoyed.

Kylo slowly, very slowly Rey noted, made his way to the sofa before sitting down, his glove and cloak already removed as he leaned his face into his hands, his fingers gripping his own hair as he struggled for the words he needed to say to her.

She began to feel worried at his state, having not been able to recall a time when he seemed this distressed near her. The only time that came to her mind was when he had saved her from Sano's destruction on Excora...

Making her way to him, she stood directly in front of Kylo, looking down at him with concern, though her guard was still up.

"I... I'm sorry... Rey, I'm sorry. I couldn't leave to warn you without giving up the chance at the alliance working... And it was just a serum, I knew it wouldn't cause any permanent damage... I didn't know... I didn't know what you'd want me to do... If I refused him and his stupid request... Then..."

'Then the Resistance would surely be doomed.'

He didn't have to speak the last part, the words already looming in the air between their bond.

Rey watched him, his hands still in his hair, covering his handsome features as he tore himself apart inside. She felt how sincere he was being, how distraught with uncertainty he felt... She understood then. He did what he thought would be best, no for her sake, but for her friends and family.

Her jaw still clenched, Rey uncrossed her arms to slowly reach to him, fighting against his grip as she unraveled his hands from his face and hair as Kylo refused to meet her gaze.

Rey's soft hand touched his cheek, a soft plea floating to him through their bond, causing him to look to her, to meet her eyes with his, still looming with the rare apology he muttered to her moments ago.

They stared at one another for a long moment, their gazes searching for what the other wanted, what the other needed in that moment, only to find that the answer was each other.

He felt anger, a rage that burned deep within her, begging to find its release in any form even if it was against him, anger for the events that took place today, and anger because she had no control over it.

But beneath that, there was anger with him, his fear of her feeling betrayed came true.

As his lips moved to apologize again, she quickly bent to him, pressing a hard kiss to his parted lips, the last thing he was expecting for her to do in that moment.

Rey's hand lay across his cheek, deepening the kiss as he had done so often to her before. Letting all restraints go, refusing to be held back, her tongue delved into his mouth, tasting him as she ran it along the roof, skimming over the top of his own tongue before beginning a delicious dance.

It only took him a moment to respond, the surprise stilling him for just a split second before his hand shot out to grasp the back of her knee, skimming up the back of her thigh as he urged her forward, his other hand already in her wet hair as their lips refused to separate.

She fell to Kylo, her chest pressed against him as she tumbled, restricted by the towel that still wrapped around her body. Urgent desire begged to be satisfied within her, a desire that only Kylo could sate, and to take for his own.

Unable to find her footing and uncomfortable as the towel cut into her leg when she tried to make her way into his lap, Rey quickly unwrapped the towel and let it fall to the side before straddling his lap, her mouth still eager and hot on his.

His eyes opened briefly, meeting hers as they parted to catch their breath, lidded eyes heavy with lust. He did not hold back his gaze as it trailed down her body, droplets of water still rolling down her arms and chest, falling to her hips.

Kylo's hard exhale fell into Rey as he crashed his mouth to her once more and let his hands circle her waist, his pants already growing tight at the seam.

His hands pressed hard against her, moving up her back and trailing down again, his thumb pressing into her hip with his grip.

Rey moaned, shifting her hips forward, intentionally pressed down against his member, feeling the thick outline of it beneath his trousers, causing Kylo to hiss a curse, trailing his mouth down to her jaw, and then her neck.

Rey's eyes shut while her breathing grew hard and rough as her hands fell on top of his that lay at her waist, guiding one of his hands up her stomach, softly over her ribcage, and landing at her breast.

Kylo easily complied, his touch gentle as he cupped her before catching the rosy bud of her nipple between his fingers, a quick rub alone made her moan as his teeth nipped at her neck.

Needing to touch him, to feel his own heat against her body, Rey pushed away from Kylo momentarily to lift his tunic off, the hard edges of his chest and muscles meeting her hungry gaze. Unable to resist her temptation, her fingers trailed along his abs, her hand pressing flatly against them before she skimmed her finger lower, circling right above his belly button.

Kylo shivered at her touch, his eyes drifting close as his own hands froze at her thighs. Right then, he felt her delicate fingers brush over his hip, trailing along the edge of his pants before settling at the button to undo them, soon feeling her complete the task.

Breathless and desperate, he lifted his hips, letting her assist with tugging his pants down, her fingers briefly touching the part of him that ached for her.

With a single digit, Rey let her curiosity distract her for a quick moment, trailing her finger over his girth, feeling how oddly soft and hard he was at the same time before slowly skimming over the tip.

A shudder rolled through him, his member twitching under her small touch as his head fell back against the couch, eyes shut with the torture of holding himself back.

The sight of him at her mercy excited her, more than it should have she thought.

Rey's hooded eyes studied him, watching as she drew out the smallest trembles and groans from him, throaty with need beneath her finger. As she touched him, she felt herself growing more wet by the second, her center so close to the part that ached for him.

Kylo's grip grew tighter on her, commanding himself to have self-control, to let her touch him and to let himself be touched, even as he grew painfully hard and eager for more.

Just then, he felt Rey's hair tickle his arm and chest when she moved to his jaw, down to his neck, her lips trailing along the scar she branded him with so many moons ago. Her tongue lightly skimmed over it, so lightly that the only way he knew she did it was the cool air against the moisture.

Beneath her hand, he twitched with want, her palm sliding over him as her curiosity grew along with her hunger.

Too lost in the sensation of her lips at his neck and her hand now around his member, Kylo did not register her movements when she moved onto her knees above him, positioning her center atop him, sliding down onto Kylo just as she bit his neck.

His hands flew to her hips, a raspy sigh escaping his pouty, parted lips as he moved forward, shifting Rey away from his neck so that he could lay his own mouth at her chest, his teeth softly catching the bud at her breast.

Rey moaned as she slid down his length, giving herself a moment to stretch around him, to welcome him home as her back arched, pressing him farther into her.

They both breathed a sigh of satisfaction, as if this was the answer to the problems of the galaxy, wholeness within each other.

Slowly, Rey began to roll her hips, recalling the first time she had done this at the hut on Arrowmada, remembering hot awkward but good it felt.

This was different though, she knew that much.

She was in more control here... and the knowledge of this heightened her desire, the need for completion and the urge to not tell him how upset she was, but to instead show him.

As she rolled into him, his mouth nipped and licked at her chest, worshiping her as she made love for them, slow and lazy, her hips beginning to move harder onto him as he stretched her.

Kylo's hand moved up her back to get lost in her hair as he leaned away from her, tearing his mouth from her breast to replace it with her parted lips, their tongues meeting once again as she picked up the pace.

As she planted firmly onto him, she marveled at how well she took him in this position, feeling him along every inch of the walls within her, unwilling to believe there was ever a time when she didn't know of this fulfillment, or of a time when he didn't belong to her, solely her.

He was all hers for the taking, and taking him was what she fully intended to do.

Beneath her, Kylo's body grew hot and taut, his muscles firm as he struggled to control his breathing, to put off what they both wanted.

As her slick heat rose above him, he felt her energy change, gearing up and charging itself as Rey's lips moved to his ear, capturing his lobe between her teeth.

He was unable to hold back another shudder, Kylo's arms circling her waist tightly as he bit his lip, trying to mask his moan while his eyes shut tight. His own hips rose off of the couch to meet the roll of her hips, desperate to sheath himself deep within her, to lose himself in Rey.

Rey's arms lazily crossed behind his neck as she rode him, her mouth moving back up along the scar before kissing him hard, her teeth again coming into play to instead bite his lip hard, but not enough to draw blood.

He twitched inside of her, realizing now that she was purposefully trying to draw out every shudder and tremble from him, knowing that no other being in the galaxy would ever be able to see him in such a weak, dazed state.

His breathless, strangled moan tumbled out into a hiss as he pried himself from her lips, trying to hide his red face into her neck as his release began to build, begging to burry deep within her walls.

Rey's own cheeks were red, her body hot and wanting as she felt him shift, trying to hide from her as his body writhed, fixing to release beneath her.

This was the moment she wanted.

Using the force, invisible hands quickly forced Kylo's arms to leave her, restrained and stretched out against the couch, forcing him to sit back as her hand clutched his jaw tightly, his mouth forced to shut into a tight line as he exhaled hard through flared nostrils.

His hooded gaze was on hers, dark and hungry mixing with lustful rage.

"Wait." she breathed and demanded of him, her eyes boring into his as she felt his struggle to hold his release back, a raw shudder coursed from his shoulders down to his curled toes.

He throbbed inside her, causing Rey's eyes to roll close as her hips continued their quick assault on him, delicious little cries of pleasure leaving her lips, her hand never lifting from its tight hold on his jaw, making him watch as she pleased herself on him, her own release approaching quickly.

Gulping, his hips bucked him into her as she tightened around him, a throaty groan vibrating through her and into a breathless gasp as her other hand gripped at his hair.

Kylo's own eyes rolled close at the feel of her around him, the fact that he was being used and denied somehow added to his lust.

He tried to move against the restraints she held against him, his arms flexing beneath the hold...

Sensing this, her hand tightened on his jaw, her fingernails slightly digging into his skin.

With another gulp, he opened his eyes to glare at her, his breathing equally ragged as hers, but he knew what would distract her...

He just needed self-control...

But, stars...

She felt so good on him.

With a growl, he bucked his hips again, her eyes shutting tight as she whimpered, and just then his arms flexed and broke the force hold, her eyes shooting open as he gathered her wrists with one of his hands, his other arm circling her waist and holding her to him as he moved them both to the ground.

The cold floor at her back made her arch into him, the pair both letting out a shaky gasp as he took his position between her legs, driving into her with no hesitation.

His thrusts were hard, furious to both please and tease her, to drive her crazy with want just as she did to him.

The faster and harder he did though, he began to lose himself in her even more.

Kylo released her hands, burying his in her hair as the other remained on her hip, holding her there as he thrust. Rey's fingernails dug into his back and shoulder, her loud whimpers making him dizzy.

He felt her tighten around him, accepting his length and girth with her slick reward, pulling him in deeper as he withdrew and drove into her, withdrew and drove harder.

Their climax tore through the atmosphere, stilling their bond and everything around them as they both moaned a breathless, raspy cry with their release, Rey arching even more into him as he spilled within her. Their senses stayed in hyperdrive, Rey surrounded by nothing but Kylo, and for him, nothing but Rey.

They stayed there for a while, lost in a world they had created, untouched by any war, and in that world both Kylo and Rey were reminded that they were truly not alone anymore, their answers lying all within each other as they shuddered into each other one more time.

"For the record," she breathed as her body trembled. "I'm still mad."

At this, Kylo smiled, burying his face in her neck as he collapsed on top of her.

( X )

Author's Notes: This one was fun to write! Thoughts? :)


	54. Chapter 54

Darkness loomed...

She heard the familiar whispers she once had before her awakening...the whispers that tried to coax her to do evil biding... the bad whispers before the good ones came...

But this time... She couldn't make out what they were saying…

The whispers weren't speaking to her...

Rey woke up with a small jolt, finding herself still sleeping next to a naked Kylo Ren. The sun was still out, and she discovered they had only been sleeping for about an hour or so.

But as she rolled to face him beneath his heavy arm, she saw how uncomfortable he looked, worry and pain plaguing his gentle, sleeping features. His long, wide body was covered in sweat, his chest rising and falling with a big huff as his nightmare carried on.

Through their bond, Rey could feel how scared he was, and when she tried to peer into his mind, to fight these demons herself, she realized his mind was blocked off, as if his block was impaled right through their bond.

Worried, Rey reached to him, knowing she had helped him before, by calming his force with her own, by taking his dark and giving him the light that she harbored within herself.

The act was pure instinct.

But when her palm was nearly at his shoulder, his strong arm reached out, catching her wrist in a tight grip that made her gasp, her eyes going wide as Kylo shot awake, his breathing just as rough as hers.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, Rey thought he'd snarl at her.

Blinking a few times, Kylo slowly came back down from his nightmare, the slightest tension leaving his shoulders as he settled back down against the bed, his grip on Rey's wrist softening as he brought her hand to his chest.

Kylo's eyes closed as he focused on evening out his breathing.

"Don't do that." he warned.

Rey watched him, leaning on one hand. She tried again to press his mind with hers, but he refused.

"You... You seemed-"

"I don't want to talk about it." he muttered, eyes still closed.

Rey's breathing returned, though her heartbeat was still racing as she curled into his side, her head resting on his chest. His heartbeat matched hers.

"I've helped you before... It worked last time..." she whispered, hoping that he would just allow her to help him at least this one time.

"No." Was all she got in return.

Her stomach clenched with worry, knowing it was rare to see Kylo in such a state of distress. She wondered if maybe it was the city, maybe being back in the city that belonged to his family was triggering for him.

All she wanted to do was comfort him, to remind him that he wasn't alone.

After a few minutes of silence, Rey thought he might have fallen back to sleep from how still his body had gotten. When she glanced up towards his face, she found him staring at the ceiling, lost in a very deep thought.

Watching him, it occurred to Rey that it did not seem like he knew she was still there.

Rey moved up, settling her arm next to his head as she leaned over him, placing a soft, gentle hand to his face, tugging his gaze from the ceiling to her own. Her eyes searched his, trying to find answers, trying to find recognition.

"Hey... I'm here..." she whispered, pleading.

He just looked at her, emotionless.

Her brows furrowed. "What's the good?" she asked.

His own confusion appeared on his face, making him appear almost angry. He blinked a few times, thinking as he finally broke their gaze.

'The good?' his mind asked her timidly.

She softly nodded. 'The good stuff...Remember the good...'

He scoffed in his mind, his eyes darting around as he thought, his mind running around in dark circles, always coming back to the only light in his life.

After a few moments, he reached a timid hand to her cheek, the air cooling around them as he slowly came to, much to Rey's relief.

'You... Just you.' he said to her mind.

Together, they inhaled deeply, their minds heavy.

Finally aware of his surroundings again, Kylo snaked an arm around her waist, holding her closer as she settled her head back to his chest.

"Are you-" she began to ask.

"Yes, Rey. I'm okay. It was just a dream." He said, his voice returning to its usual deep tone. "And no, I still do not want to talk about it."

Rey scowled into his chest, pinching his rib before she felt a silent chuckle rumble through him.

"Still mad?" he asked, his hand trailing up her spine as she shivered against him beneath his touch.

Rey's cheeks burned hot, remembering that yes, she was still very much mad, but he just kept on distracting her...

"Yes, thank you for the reminder." Rey moved to rest her chin on his chest, meeting his eyes. He smirked at her, making her narrow her eyes at him.

His memory of her riding him in just the other room when he had returned home all but screamed at her from his mind.

She hissed at him, again attacking his ribs with a light punch.

"I'll have to make you mad more often." he said, his voice proud as his smirk turned into a lazy grin.

Rey would have quickly fired back, but she was too distracted by the grin she had never really seen before. It made her heart stop, and own smile played at her lips as her cheeks sheepishly turned pink.

Even with his teasing, the devil was handsome with a grin.

Kylo's grin slowly faded into a small smile, gulping as his lips shut, his eyes peering down at her but glancing away quickly under her studying.

Rey noticed his ears turning red beneath his wavy hair, making her smile deepen as she looked elsewhere, taking pity on him after she realized he had heard her thoughts.

Trailing her own fingers across his bicep and up his neck, her own mind wandered to their series of love making since they had arrived here on Naboo, her mind pressing the fact that she had uttered the three words to him in the middle of their passion.

Lazily, her eyes drifted back to Kylo, who was back to watching her, again hearing her thoughts and searching her face for the truth.

She blinked at him, a small smile still calling to him from her lips.

"That name you called me... in the other language the other night... What was that?" Rey timidly asked, her eyes falling back to her fingers that danced across his skin.

Kylo continued studying her, nothing but admiration in his eyes.

"Mando'a." he answered simply, his eyes soft on her face.

Rey slowly met his gaze, remembering the way he had spoken it, a whisper meant for only her, his voice equally soft and rough.

"And... and it means 'beloved'?" Rey timidly asked, her eyes searching.

Kylo gently twisted a curl of her hair around his finger, a slow, meaningful nod as he gazed into her.

Before Rey could stop her damned tongue, she asked "And have you called anyone that before?"

One side of Kylo's mouth turned up for a sly smile. "No, never."

Rey searched his face for any hint of a lie.

Determining he was telling the truth, she smiled as she placed her head back down on his chest.

"A jealous scavenger. Who would have thought." Kylo muttered into a sigh, his smiling spreading into a grin she couldn't see.

Grunting, she aimed to attack his ribs again, but was abruptly stopped when he seized both of her wrists in one single, fluid motion, turning her onto her back, pinning her arms above her head as he hovered over her.

As she strained herself against his hold, she was quickly reminded that they were both naked as he pressed himself against her, stopping her struggle.

They glared at one another, studying and testing, daring the other to speak first. After a moment, Rey gave in.

"I'm not jealous. It was only a question. You just seem..." Rey searched for the words, refusing to give this man any type of compliment, knowing it would just egg him on.

"I seem...?" Kylo asked, a smirk already appearing on his sharp features as he waited.

"You seem... decently skilled... at this..." Rey stated, her chin lifted stubbornly in the air as he narrowed his eyes briefly.

Kylo's brow twitched as he buried his face in her neck, a mix between a scoff and a laugh escaping him as he nipped at her neck, causing Rey to let out the smallest of moans.

Suddenly, he lifted his head, only an inch away from her face as he peered down at her, his expression stern and serious as he met her eyes, his grip still on her wrists.

"For being just a decently skilled man," Kylo began, his free hand skimming across her bare breasts, across her stomach as his gaze drifted down to watch his movements, hunger already filling his vision. "You sure do enjoy it."

Knowing what he was after, Rey quickly clenched her thighs together, his gaze shooting to hers with a glare.

Trying a different tactic, Rey showed him the memory of him writhing beneath her earlier in the day, and how his moans filled her ears, lust written across every inch of his face.

The memory faded as Kylo released her wrists, scowling at her as he settled back against the bed at her side, feeling exposed. Rey grinned, feeling as though this was her victory.

"You sure do know how to ruin a good time." he muttered, crossing his arms beneath his head, his eyes drifting close.

"Those times were still good for me." Rey answered, her cheeks hurting from her smile as she flipped over onto her stomach to watch him.

She never truly imagined feeling so comfortable with someone, to banter with, even while completely nude, but what was even more surprising, was how natural it felt with him.

So comfortable... so natural...

So much so that she was unable to stop her curious and demanding mouth as her next question escaped her.

"Have there been many others?" she asked.

Kylo's eyes opened, glancing down at her briefly before closing them again, his cheeks already turning red.

"No." he muttered, his jaw clenching.

Rey continued watching him.

She would have dropped it, if it weren't for his reaction to the question. With narrowed eyes, Rey sat up, moving closer to his face with a small smile.

She was genuinely curious, and let it be known to his mind.

With a growl, he moved his head away, knowing he was being watched, and knew that no matter what, when Rey was denied, she would pester.

'Damn Scavenger...' he cursed her.

"One. One girl, when I was younger. One time." Kylo muttered, his jaw clenching after admitting it.

He felt her surprise, and his scowl grew as he cursed her again, thinking that they could have been doing a lot more than talking about his one meaningless encounter, thinking that he could be tasting the one part of her that she had denied him...

"Hmm..." she hummed, still watching his face even though his eyes remained closed.

The silence that followed annoyed him to his near death. Had she nothing else to say? He had given her everything... He made sure to make it enjoyable for her... Hell, he didn't need the force bond to know that she li-

His own annoyance tore him from his thoughts, his eyes opening to glare at her. "Well?" he demanded.

Her eyes were already on him, trailing down the scar across his cheek with a smile on her lips.

"Well what?" She shrugged. "You're more experienced than I am, even if it was one person, one time. You, however, were my first." Rey sighed.

At this, his expression softened only a little bit as he eyed her. She could feel the satisfaction he seemed to have at the last bit of her comment.

With a raised eyebrow, her curiosity grew more. "You like that you were my first?"

Kylo hesitated, knowing fully well that he was already found out, and couldn't deny it even if he tried.

Instead, he said nothing, watching her just as she was watching him.

"You're mine." he answered after a long moment of silence. The claim sat between them as Rey felt a mix of emotions come from within her. Part of her felt a thrill from his words, a thrill that awoke every nerve in her body, that demanded to be shown the truth of the statement...

And the other part of her felt warned as stubbornness settled in, refusing to be claimed, refusing to have to answer to anybody.

Instinctively, her mouth opened to deny him.

"I belong to nobody." she stated, her chin rising towards him.

Kylo glared at her, his jaw tensing as his body geared to fight her statement, to take what belonged to him.

Instead, he knew that she would in turn hate hearing the same words come from him.

"So be it. That means I don't belong to you either."

Immediately, her eyes narrowed at him, her mouth opening to bite back a response to him, to claim him just as he did to her a moment ago. Knowing that she was going to contradict herself, her lips quickly shut as she crossed her arms.

Kylo smirked. "That's what I thought."

In silence, they sat there glaring at one another, the air charged with the animalistic need to claim the other, to both dominate and submit, though they both refused.

Eventually, Rey laid back down on the bed, aware that Kylo's eyes were on her body as she stretched against the mattress.

His eyes traced the outline of her body, following every edge of muscle and every curve that belonged to her, desire quickly latching onto him.

He just couldn't place his finger on it... No matter how absolutely mad it drove him... There was just something about Rey that made him constantly want.

It was true, what he had said earlier. He had indeed been with one girl before, in his teenage years during his time at Skywalker's academy. It had been quick, and brought forth by curiosity and boredom, with a girl who equally wanted to get it over with. Thinking back, he couldn't even remember her name, nor did he really even care to.

It was simple, and boring. Nothing compared to what Rey and him shared. Their time together was always instinctual, always based off of such strong lust and desire, always wanting to please her, to worship her, to serve her.

He wanted to devour her, in ways he hadn't even discovered.

The mere knowledge of this was making him hard.

Rolling away, Kylo stood at the edge of the bed, grasping Rey by the ankles before hauling her to him, her eyes wide with curiosity and temptation.

Still heated from being denied of what was hers, and equally refusing to give herself up, she eyed him as she wiggled her ankles free from his hard grip, seeing that his want was already evident.

"Will this be when you make me beg you to stop?" she teased, calling his previous threat to attention.

He froze where he stood, returning her glare.

"It very well could be." he answered, his voice deep and powerful.

Calling his bluff, Rey moved a single foot to his inner thigh, skimming it upwards and trailing lightly across his hard member, making it twitch as his abdomen clenched.

Their eyes never broke away from one another as she further trailed her foot along his abs, up to his chest, and along his neck before she skillfully grasped his hair between her toes and tugged.

By the hard exhale through his flared nostrils, Rey knew he was fighting to hold himself back.

"How about this... The day you beg me to start..." Her other foot trailed to her member once more. "I'll beg you to stop."

Kylo's jaw clenched at the challenged, his body already pleading with him to give into the woman that tempted him now, his manhood already aching and throbbing with need.

However, there was a small voice in the back of his mind that he could not break from, the part of him the couldn't ever refuse a challenge, or back down from one.

Forcing himself to look elsewhere, he pushed her warm leg away, trying hard not to think of what else lay waiting ready and hot for him as he raked his hands through his hair, jaw tight and eyes narrowed as he returned his gaze to her.

Rey laid there smiling up at him, willing him to push aside the fight he was dealing with in his mind, hearing every debate and siding with the part of him that begged him to just take her.

Honestly, she was truly hoping for it, and even expected it.

But when he had brushed her to the side, she felt the wave of frustration and determination course through him, and in return, it coursed through her, intent on winning this one.

To better help her cause, she trailed her hands across her chest lightly, cupping her breast as he did every time they had made love. She watched as his Adam's apple bobbed with a silent gulp, his jaw still set firmly.

His hooded gaze trailed down, following her hand as she moved to the part of her that he craved the most.

Before she could continue, his hand moved to her knee, gripping her there to part her legs and drive into her.

But consciousness overtook him, disappointing Rey though she refused to let him see. Instead, she continued to smile as he froze, narrowing his eyes down at her and giving her knee a quick, hard squeeze before turning and walking to the fresher.

He determined a cold shower would be best, another second there with Rey and it'd surely be the death of him. As Kylo slammed the door behind him, he could feel the rage and disappointment reach him through their bond, and although he was aching with want, he couldn't help the smirk that came to play across his face, knowing she was suffering too.

Turning the water on, he turned to lay out a towel, moving Rey's previously worn clothes out of the way, a piece of paper falling from within the crumbled-up garb.

Bending down, Kylo picked up a piece of paper, opening it only to see a message that made his shoulders tense and his blood boil instinctively.

'In Leia we trust.'

( X )

There were so many pieces of clothing.

Rey stood in front of one rack that had been pushed to the corner of the living room, seemingly carrying nothing but dark pants and light tunics. The amount of clothing was flat out overwhelming to Rey, which made her grab the first outfit that seemed comfortable enough and threw it on.

Though she was tired, she was frustrated that Kylo did not take her bait... In fact, that he did not take her.

Rolling her eyes, Rey walked to the kitchenette to grab a piece of fruit, taking a large bite as she turned at the sound of the refresher door opening, exposing a freshly showered and now dressed Kylo Ren.

He had showered for nearly an hour, and there was no mistaking the strong, sudden feeling of anger that she felt reach across their bond earlier when they parted.

Thinking it was from her, Rey glanced away from him, wondering if she had gone too far with her teasing.

"Ben, I'm sorry if-"

Kylo quickly reached her, avoiding her gaze as he held a piece of paper out to her. Rey's brows furrowed, recognizing the folded piece of paper as the note from the cat-like woman from the vendor strip.

Timidly, Rey reached for it, taking it into her palm as a soft knock came at the door.

Kylo brushed past her, pulling on his gloves before opening the door to reveal a woman dressed in a long yellow dress, the emblem of Naboo pinned to her strap. She had a covered tray in her hands, and Rey watched as she and Kylo exchanged a few hushed words.

Turning to Rey, Kylo's eyes softened just a bit, though his lips still wore a frown. "Lando is downstairs and needs to speak with me for a moment. This is... One of Caleo's personal servants. She will be further assisting you."

Kylo quickly turned to leave, making his way past the woman who smiled at Rey as she came in, closing the door behind her. Rey looked at her curiously, trying to feel her energy through the force, but was unable to meet anything there, surprising Rey.

For a moment, she wondered if her heavy mind was blocking her from connecting with anyone, and silently, she cursed Kylo.

"Hello, Lady Rey. I'm here to administer your contraceptive." She said with a small smile.

Rey's brows shot up, and she quickly tried to cover up her surprise. "Oh! Um... So that I will not get pregnant, yes?" Rey awkwardly asked. On Jakku, she overheard the old wives speak of it often, though she had no idea for its use otherwise.

She watched as the woman uncovered the tray to expose a needle, and for a moment, Rey froze, the image of the alley coming back to her mind.

"Correct. Master Ren requested it." the woman turned to Rey, with the needle in her hand as she nodded to Rey's hip. Rey glanced down, understanding now.

'He sure does make quick work in getting what he wants...' Rey thought to herself as she moved the line of her pants down past her hip, while the woman cleansed the area with a cold wipe before pushing the needle through, the hot, hard pinch making Rey wince.

"How long does this last?" Rey asked as the woman withdrew the needle, capping it and placing it back on the tray.

"One year. I'm sure they'll have something for you to take again once you return to the First Order." she said, placing a bandage on Rey.

"Oh, I'm not..." Rey stumbled with her words. "We aren't... We will not be returning to the First Order."

The woman looked at Rey curiously. "My apologies, I thought..."

Just then, Rey finally caught a quick glimpse of her mind, the surprise the woman had lowered whatever block she was holding up before she stood firm once more.

Her thought made Rey both sad and angry.

She believed Rey to be a servant of Kylo Ren's.

"No, no it's not like th-" Rey began before the woman started shaking her head, her eyes wide with worry.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for my thoughts to be loud or to assume, I just-"

"It's okay, he's not as bad-"

"I'm sorry." they both apologized at the same time before an awkward silence filled the air between them. Rey licked at her lips and willed the uncomfortable stillness away.

"What's your name?" Rey decided to ask, eager to break the silence.

The woman glanced to Rey, a blush creeping on her already reddened cheeks. "I... We aren't allowed to speak our names."

At this, Rey looked at her, confused. "Why is that?"

The woman shifted from foot to foot nervously as she glanced around at everything but Rey. "We're taught that we represent Naboo... Therefore, we are Naboo..."

Rey's lips parted, unable to grasp the concept of what the woman was telling her. Her eyes drifted down to the Naboo emblem. "Is that why everything is so... Orderly... Here?" Rey asked quietly, as if there a billion people in the room listening to them.

The woman glanced to Rey, meeting her gaze with a broken and embarrassed look, saying nothing.

There was once a time when Rey had no name, and it drove her mad, that time that she was truly no one and nothing. She knew the coldness and emptiness it brought on, to have no identity and belong to nothing, not even yourself.

"It's just us..." Rey soothed in a soft whisper. "What's your name?"

The woman looked at Rey, and glanced away again, as if trying to remember, as if the name was just a ghost on her lips as she whispered it. "Hidiya..." she spoke, so softly that Rey almost didn't catch it.

Rey smiled at her. "Hidiya... That's a lovely name."

She looked at Rey again, as if she was expecting her to lash out, to be punished for speaking the name. Rey quickly moved to another question.

"Do you like it here? In Naboo, with Caleo?"

Hidiya blinked a few times, registering the question before she thought hard of her answer.

"Naboo... Naboo was home for me before Caleo took over." she said. Rey realized the woman was trying not to betray her ruler, but eager to please Rey with the truth. She knew these answers could get her in trouble, but the punishment would be worse if Caleo caught word that his guests were left unsatisfied.

"And is Naboo still home for you?" Rey asked.

Gripping her own hands, Hidiya inhaled sharply, the racks of clothing behind Rey catching her attention. "Do you not like Caleo's gifts? I personally picked them out myself..."

The chuckle that escaped Rey startled Hidiya as she glanced to Rey. "They are quite lovely, beautiful even... But loyalty should not be bought..." Rey glanced down to the emblem once more. "Or owned."

Hidiya's gaze fell to the emblem as well, and Rey watched her, sensing sadness and anger rise within the young woman.

"Would you... agree with that?" Rey asked softly as their gazes met.

"I... It's not my place to say..."

Acting on a whim, the words flew from her easily. "The Resistance would never have servants." Rey stated, almost tempting.

At this, Hidiya sadly smiled. "I'm no servant. I'm a slave." The smile slowly faded into something stern and urgent as she bore into Rey's eyes, as if eagerly asking for help and warning her all at the same time. "I'm owned... Caleo will never let go of anything he owns. Not without a price."

Rey returned the long gaze, all of her questions being answered in that one reply. Her heart ached, and something within Rey ached to do something about it, to save it all and rescue her.

"Naboo has never been the same since Padame... Things... Things aren't what they seem here..." Rey watched as Hidiya lifted a slow arm and touched the back of her own neck as her gaze fell.

Something painful pulled at the woman, and she winced as she withdrew her hand.

Inhaling sharply, she met Rey's gaze once more, a wide, false smile spreading across her face, as if this person was taking over the other woman Rey was speaking with.

"Master Ren will be returning any moment, I shall take my leave. It was lovely meeting you, Lady Rey."

With that, Hidiya turned to gather the tray and left the room, leaving Rey watching after her with worry and confusion pressing her mind. Things aren't what they seem? Rey didn't understand.

Sighing, Rey clenched her palms into fists, realizing then that she still had the note in her hand. Opening it, she read the few words that were scribbled on it:

'In Leia we trust'.

Just those small four words gave Rey the push she needed, the reminder that she had a purpose, and that sole purpose was to do good, if not by the galaxy, at least by Leia.

It amazed Rey how even in the smallest corners of the galaxy, Leia's presence and influence seemed to reach all around her, providing hope to those who were lost, and those who were confused.

Right now, it seemed Rey was both.

'Things aren't what they seem.' her mind echoed.

Rey replayed the last two days over and over in her mind, trying to find a slip up, trying to find any mishap that would stand out, and really the only conclusions that came to her mind were of the feelings she felt when she ran through the city looking for the boy that fled the guards.

In fact, what stood out, was that there were no feelings at all.

When she had reached through the force to find his presence, it was mute, the atmosphere seemed as though it was controlled, as if...

As if someone, or something, was controlling the energy around Naboo...

Before she could complete her thoughts, the door opened and shut as Kylo strode in, glancing around to see if the servant was gone, satisfied that she was.

Mindlessly, Rey shoved the piece of paper into her pocket as she watched him.

"What did Lando need?" Rey asked, trying her best to act casual.

His eyes narrowed briefly, still getting used to being questioned. "Just a quick warning. Caleo has event planners running amongst the city in preparation for the wedding in a few days."

Rey chewed the inside of her cheek as she thought out loud. "So, he has more eyes and more ears throughout the city."

Kylo timidly nodded, watching her as she rolled her eyes, her agitation becoming apparent.

He smirked. "As much as you'd like to torture me here, we need to continue training." he stated before holding a hand out to her.

Glaring at him for a moment, she determined that it was a good sign that he was no longer upset with her, she assumed about the note, and thought it be best not to mention it and instead took his hand, allowing him to lead her out of the suite, the words of the note still echoing in the back of her mind.

'In Leia we trust... In Leia we trust... In Leia we trust..."

…...

( X )

Author's Notes: Ah! A filler chapter of sorts, but very much needed. Will be posting again in a couple of days! As always, thank you so much for reading, and please, pleaseeeee leave a review.

It doesn't matter how big or how small, absolutely anything makes my day and encourages me to write more and post faster.

With that said, stay tuned!


	55. Chapter 55

The city was once again, busy. The streets were filled with vendors, visitors and residents coming and going as they bartered and bought, as if the war outside of Naboo just simply did not exist.

It was an odd idea to Rey, to think that she too was once a mindless busy-body back on Jakku, doing what she must to survive to the next day.

She supposed, she couldn't truly blame them.

As she glanced around, she briefly took note that not a single one of them met her eyes now, each person always keeping their eyes down to the ground or trapped in a gaze with someone else, blabbering on.

Rey's eyes drifted down to the emblems they all sported, the symbol that represented their loyalty and dedication to Naboo, or so she believed.

Glancing up at Kylo, she wondered if he noticed the same.

Things seemed to have quieted between them since they left the suite to find a nearby training area, and Rey thought it could be because of the note he found.

'In Leia we trust.' it had said.

Biting her lip as she glanced away from his stern features, she could only assume that it was. Maybe it was simply seeing his mother's name that set him off?

Sighing, she just wasn't sure.

"Why are you upset?" she blurted out, her voice struggling to find its place in the chaos of the city while trying to remain quiet.

From the corner of her eye, she saw his jaw tense for the quickest moment.

"I'm not upset." Kylo's deep voice answered, his eyes on the ground as they walked through a crowd of people.

"Is it your dream? Or the note?" Rey urged.

Kylo scoffed, his eyes rolling as he straightened his back. They turned the corner, following down a quiet pathway that led to a stone staircase, the loud city slowly falling away behind them.

"No, Rey." he muttered.

Rey reared around to stand in front of him, her small frame halting him from taking another step.

He contemplated tossing her over his shoulder just to be done with the conversation and move along to training.

"You're lying." she sneered with narrowed eyes, a sharp finger pointing to his chest.

Kylo's eyes squinted at her in response, glancing to her hand before capturing her wrist, walking her backwards.

"Drop it." he ordered, before turning her around to face the training grounds below them, her growl fading.

It was a decent sized area, and empty, thankfully. There were dummies made of straw and leather, tattered from previous hits, a few wooden staffs lay scattered around the dirt and just beyond them stood ten training droids, random wires sticking out of them.

Her lips curled into a small smile as her gaze drifted back to the staffs.

"We won't be using those." Kylo said, already reading her excitement. His long legs began to walk down the stairs, Rey closely following and watching as he removed his cape, draping it over the stone railing as his hand gripped the hilt of his lightsaber

Rey instinctively stilled, her hand already on hers in return.

It only took her a second to recognize his attack in the way he abruptly turned, the way his arms seemed to control the rest of his movement, his eyes darting and focusing around Rey as she aimed to block him.

She knew he was trying to throw her off, and the way he put his block up was loud and sudden, trying to fend her off from his thoughts. Her eyes narrowed as her saber ignited and came in contact with his, locked together as they equally gave and defended.

He allowed her a step back to toss her cape to the side as their breathing hardened, circling one another, daring the other to make the first move.

Kylo's boots were harsh against the dirt, though he never hesitated in his movement, never faltering beneath her glare.

It was another side of him, she discovered. A side that neither fought nor flew, it just simply was. He defended himself, he fought for his stance, and he stayed, never swaying and never giving up.

He stood on the ground he wanted, and what Kylo wanted, he made sure to receive.

His next attack was quick and heavy, whipping his saber to her, which she easily dodged, however this time he swirled around to her again, striking his saber down to her three times, making Rey stumble back.

'Why was he going so hard?' she wondered breathlessly.

Within the next second, as if hearing her thoughts, he ruthlessly attacked again, his long strides catching up to her, slicing the air between before turning the lightsaber over the back of his hand and aiming to her again, nearly hitting her shoulder.

The move made Rey stumble, tripping over her own feet after she successfully blocked it. As her back made contact with the ground, he quickly grabbed at the front of her tunic and hauled her to her feet again.

She cursed him in her thoughts, making sure he was able to hear it as she glared at Kylo when he stepped away.

He smirked, his mind opening just a small fraction.

'You can do better than this.' he taunted.

'Why are pushing so aggressively?' she asked as they began to circle one another again, their weapons raised.

'Rey, your enemy would be pushing harder.' Kylo stated.

Rey smirked at him, stopping herself from taking another step. 'Well, I've already beaten you several times, haven't I?'

Kylo's brow twitched as he scoffed, rolling his eyes before glancing back to her. 'Well, now you're becoming my equal, and there's no need to hold back. Stop holding onto your fear.'

'My fear?' she scoffed.

'Your fear of going too far, your fear of Snoke, your fear of not being able to save your friends. It's clouding your mind, your judgment. Let it go.' he said, almost tauntingly.

Her eyes widened. 'I'm not...-'

Kylo cut her off. 'You are. I saw your nightmare. I felt his presence, and I felt the fear fill your being. You're letting his presence slip through the cracks, and it's damaging the rest of your will.'

Rey's jaw tightened in response as she clutched at her weapon. 'So, you're saying I am letting his presence live on by conjuring him up in my mind?'

Kylo nodded, watching her intently. 'If you allow that presence to live, he can and will anchor to you. It'll harden you, and the dark will win. You're fighting this war for a reason. Remember it.'

At this, Rey's chin rose in the air before she narrowed her eyes at him, a thrill of excitement shooting through her at the sound of the challenge. She attacked him then, which he blocked, though she noticed that he did stumble briefly before composing himself.

They continued their battle, trading shot after shot, block after block as they exchanged energy, taking and giving what they needed and what they didn't.

The sun was hot as they went on, and Rey felt her energy boost with it, making her stronger as Kylo's own fire died down, the evidence of this was on display as she went to strike down hard against his lightsaber, knocking it out of his hands. Kylo's hand quickly shot out, using the force to grasp her own lightsaber and fling it to the side.

For a long moment, they glared at one another as they stood several feet apart, their chests heavy from breathing so hard.

In the next instant, Rey ran across the yard to where the staffs were scattered, grabbing the nearest one, only to have it taken from her as he channeled the force again.

She turned to growl at him, her eyes squinting as he gripped the sword, snapping it in half.

Rey bent to grab one again, this time making sure she held onto it with her own force, turning to face him head on.

Kylo's jaw tightened before he smirked, reaffirming his own grip on the two broken pieces, deciding to use them against her.

Again, they traded blows, the loud whacks of the staffs smacking together filled the empty arena, that is, until someone began to applaud behind them.

Freezing, both Kylo and Rey looked up and behind them to see Caleo grinning down at them, accompanied by some of his guards and Lando as well.

"Spectacular!" Caleo called down to them, still clapping. Lando smiled apologetically to Rey.

Rey turned back to Kylo, trying her best not to sneer at the man who interrupted them. Just simply having him near made her blood hot, her annoyance spiking more than anything.

"Kylo Ren! We require your assistance. Come up, please!" Caleo all but demanded, gesturing his hand to hurry along. Kylo cleared his throat, his mouth moving into a thin line as he tossed the pieces of the staff to the side.

Rey watched him leave, her eyes on him as he climbed the steps to meet Caleo and Lando.

From the corner of her eye, Rey spotted someone in the shadows, blocked off from the staircase. She was too far to see the face, though she saw the tattered garb as the figure turned around, slowly walking away.

Curious and annoyed, Rey tossed away the staff and followed, giving one last glance to Kylo as he spoke in a hushed tone with the men. Part of her was curious as to what they were discussing, and she made a mental note to make sure to ask Kylo later on.

With a huff, she continued on.

The figure seemed to pause a few feet ahead, and when Rey got closer, they took off again, long strides turning the corner to join in with the rest of the city in its regular commute.

Rey's brows furrowed, wondering what was going on, and who it was. Her curiosity drove her to the middle of the crowded street, losing sight of the person that had been watching her and Kylo train. She glanced around quickly, unable to find them again.

Right as she was going to give up, her gaze fell down an alley lined with random crates of produce, costumes, and an odd-looking crate that had the emblem of Naboo painted on it.

Narrowing her eyes, Rey shuffled through the crowd to get a closer look, biting her lip as she approached. The crate was rather large, and the wood was thicker, meant to hold some type of heavy equipment Rey assumed.

As she came closer, her heart beat sped up, the atmosphere quickly changing to something dark and musky, as if a black storm was upon her. Her bones suddenly ached, and the scar on her back throbbed as she stepped closer, her hand timidly raising to touch the corner of the crate.

"Tsk-tsk-t-tsk."

Rey whipped around, her breathing heavy as she met the eyes of the stuttering man she had met briefly when they landed on Naboo.

She watched him closely, crossing her arms. "Oh. It's you."

"Indeed, it-it's me." He answered back, a mischievous side smile lighting up his face.

Rey glanced down to his wardrobe. "Were you watching me earlier? Training?"

He clicked his teeth. "Well, I se-see a lot of things."

She watched him closely now, trying her best to channel the force to see his way of thinking, to reveal the truth, however when she tried, she was blocked as if she were surrounded by static.

Rey shook her head, looking down to the ground as she tried again, straining her mind and willpower to call to the force, coming up empty handed.

"Ah. Frustrating, isn't it-it?" He asked, studying her with a smirk.

Her eyes met his once more, glaring at the man as she cursed herself for leaving her lightsaber behind.

"What is it? And who are you?" she demanded, stepping closer to him, causing him to step back.

"I can't s-s-say much-ch. I can be a friend-d, if you let-t me." he said, hands raised in the air to signify that he comes in peace.

Rey continued her glare, still on edge.

"Cut the games, and tell me what is going on." She straightened herself, and her glare receded though she never took her eyes off of him, her tone of voice dropping. "If you truly are trying to help me, then help me. You warned me about Caleo, what is it he's doing?"

The man shrugged, glancing away. "The an-answers are all around-d you..."

Rey looked at him confused for a moment before she followed his gaze down to the crates. She had to focus on evening out her breathing, her head whipping to the left at the sound of laughing from random residents as they carried on with their day.

Again, Rey's eyes fell to the Naboo emblem they all wore.

"The people here... They seem..."

"They se-seem?" he urged, still watching her and waiting for her to piece together the puzzle.

"They seem distracted... It's like... They aren't really here." Rey turned her eyes back to him. "They all wear that emblem. What does it mean?"

He continued watching her, waiting for the right moment when desperation set in. Right when she opened her mouth to speak again, to curse him for ignoring her, he spoke.

"I to-told you what I n-n-need."

Rey narrowed her gaze. "You need help getting off of Naboo. Why do you need help doing that?"

He glanced around them, giving her an unamused smile. "We are all s-s-slaves here."

Rey looked back to the people that crowded the streets.

Is that why all the people seemed so... standoff-ish? And silent? Robotic, even...

These questions plagued Rey's mind as she looked on.

"They're his slaves? All of them? How..."

He detected a hint of sadness in her voice, and when she turned her gaze back to him, he merely nodded as the wheels turned in her head.

"He's enslaved an entire planet? There's no way. To have complete control over one's-"

Rey stopped mid-sentence, an awful feeling settling into her stomach as she turned to the crates, her hand hovering over the edge of the top before shoving it to the side.

Inside lay hundreds of special devices, all sporting the Naboo emblem. Some of them looked like jewelry, and some she recognized as collars. Her breathing heavy, Rey knew what they were as her memory recalled the device Vicar had used on her in his throne room.

"Energy harnessers? He's controlling them by taking their energy? And exposing their fears?" Rey's eyes widened as she glanced back to him when he stepped forward to peer into the crate, unfazed.

"Think abou-t-t it. A man needs no t-t-title when he could just-t-t control you. Es-s-pecially a force us-user..."

Suddenly, it made sense.

Caleo knew his mirrored walls wouldn't stand, though it was indeed lined with whatever material lay in this device. He was testing her, trying her out to see what she could move past, trying to see how much power she had.

And now, it was clear why she couldn't feel the thoughts of the people around her, how their line of energy made no connection to Rey, and how Caleo was so accepting of Kylo Ren's presence here.

In the end, it wouldn't matter.

Caleo of course would be willing to give up his title over Naboo, because he was the one in control of it all, and the people that lived here. If Ben were to ever try and stake claim, he could easily...

Rey refused to think any more of it, gulping as she unsteadily paced the top back over the crate, gripping the edge as she tried her best not to break.

"How... How do you stop it all? There has to be some way..." Rey stumbled quietly, her heart breaking for the people enslaved here, and for Ben, for what has become of his grandmother's home.

"T-t-there's a way. Th-th-there's always a way." He said, his eyes intent on hers as his smile washed away. "Just-t-t like there's always a p-p-price."

Rey caught on, though it took her a moment to nod her head. She was still very skeptical of this man, yet, he was the only one who was showing her any help.

"Fine. You find a way to help me tear down this hold he has over Naboo, and I'll get you off of this planet."

He stepped closer to her. "Unscathed, and enough credits to last a lifetime."

She narrowed her eyes, briefly wondering if Kylo would be able to cover that cost, though she doubted she'd ever ask. If she were to at least get him off of Naboo, and find their way to the Resistance, she could surely let him have the small ship Kylo had stolen from Cinnon'ra. "Unscathed, and a ship to call your own." she bartered.

His brows shot up as he thought it over.

For a second, Rey was already thinking of what else they would be able to offer him, believing he'd turn it down, however she was taken back when he offered his hand to her to shake.

"D-d-deal."

Hesitantly, she reached to him and shook his hand, sealing their words as the worry rolled away, but tension stayed.

"What's your name anyway?" she asked, eyeing him as she took her hand back.

He smiled. "You can call me DJ."

"Rey?"

Rey turned to glance behind her, seeing Kylo and Lando turn the corner, walking up to her. She turned back to tell DJ that it was okay, that they could be trusted, however when she turned to tell him, he was already gone.

She tried her best to calm her nerves, to tell herself that she wasn't crazy and hadn't imagined him there... But it was odd, to see him one second and in the next, he vanished for the second time.

Sighing, she turned to Kylo and Lando, catching Kylo's curious and wary gaze.

Behind them, guards and slaves of Caleo carried endless bundles of wedding gifts and supplies, Caleo following behind and passing the trio in the alley.

Rey sneered at his back, causing Lando to chuckle.

"Glad we're on the same page with that."

Rey glanced to him, and he smiled widely at her which she shyly returned. Lando offered his arm to her, and she looked at it, and back to his eyes, awkwardly laughing.

Slightly amused, Kylo projected a quick movement to her mind, telling her to place her arm on his.

Glancing to Kylo and back to Lando, she did as he instructed, simply placing her hand on his arm. Lando chuckled again, softly grasping her hand and looping it into the crook of his arm as he escorted them back to the suite.

Rey assumed it was their bond that kept her and Kylo linked even with these devices affecting the energy around them, and for that, she was grateful.

'As long as I can feel him.' she thought.

Briefly, she looked back to the alley in search for DJ, yet there was no sign of him, just the damned crates DJ showed her.

On the walk back to the suite, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had known him, or at least, knew of his name.

( X )

Back at the suite, Kylo and Ret settled down as he placed both of their lightsabers together on the nightstand beside their bed, listening to Rey skitter around behind him.

He knew there was something up, in fact, he could feel it, and she seemed to desperately try and hide her feelings and thoughts from him, though he was unsure why.

"Rey?" he asked, turning to watch her gather some clothes before walking to the fresher.

"Yes?" she answered.

"I know something is wrong. Tell me." He gently demanded.

In turn, Rey settled for turning the light on in the refresher, leaving the door open. He heard the water turn on, filling up the tub and silencing him.

The thought of Rey soaking in the tub only distracted him for a moment before he removed his boots, drawing the curtain to the windows close, blocking out the settling sunset. Exhaustion wore at him, and he was not in the mood for a heavy conversation, and knew he would certainly be on the losing side of an argument if it presented itself. So, he let it go.

Approaching the counter at the kitchenette, Kylo leaned against it and pinched the bridge of his long nose before raking his hands through his hair.

Caleo was growing more and more overbearing, hovering over every move they made, and the fact that he had been watching them train irked him to no end.

Kylo was set on making sure both he and Rey stuck to their training schedule, and with Caleo constantly nearby, it was making it difficult. Worry weighed on him as he thought of the war going on around them, knowing fully well that there would be a time when he and Rey would be in the middle of it.

There was no doubt that she was strong.

But he vowed to ensure that nothing happened to her. Kylo knew, no matter what, even if he were to beg her, that she would not be anywhere besides the frontline of war to protect her friends, a fact that he was forced to admire and accept, all while making him worry with wrecking stress.

He just hoped that his and Lando's plan folded out perfectly.

If so, they wouldn't have much to worry about...

Grunting, Kylo pushed himself away from the counter, stripping off his belt and tunic and letting them fall to the ground as the water in the fresher shut off.

The sound made him turn, slowly making his way to her.

She was a vision, his Rey.

She sat there in the tub, her hair already drenched as she cupped the water and let it drip back into the tub, mesmerized by it.

With no mask or bubbles, the rest of her body was easily seen beneath the water; her slim figure, long legs, perky breasts and toned muscles.

His arousal grew, just standing there watching her as she relaxed against the tub, her gaze drifting to meet his.

She made no move to shield herself from his hungry gaze, he sensed she even liked him looking at her this way.

"What it is?" she asked, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. Rey leaned back, crossing her legs in the water as she watched him.

It occurred to him then, just how long he had been watching her as she spoke.

Swallowing hard, he straightened.

"You're very... confident. I like it." he announced, his voice low and lustful.

She blinked a few times as she stared at him. Her? Confident? Rey asked herself.

Glancing away, she thought out loud. "Is this not how it's supposed to be? Now that I'm-"

She stopped herself, unsure of voicing the claim.

Sensing it, Kylo smirked, stepping closer to her. "Now that you're...?" He urged.

Kylo stepped behind the tub, and behind her, Rey could hear him removing the rest of his clothing before pushing her forward gently, shifting her to make room for him.

Even with the large tub, Ben fit in it awkwardly, splashing water absolutely everywhere, making Rey smile as she settled back against his chest.

"Well... in a sense..." Rey was careful with her words. Flipping around, she lay her chest against his, feeling his arousal press beneath her breasts as she laid her head against him.

"In a sense?" Kylo again urged her, playing with a strand of her hair.

She growled at him, feeling as though he was teasing. "I've said I love you. And you're the first person I've laid with. Where I'm from, that actually means something-" Rey stopped when she felt him suppress a chuckle at her sudden attitude.

Aggravated, she splashed him with water before settling down on his chest again.

He sighed, and Rey knew he was smiling, though she let him do so in privacy this one time, too tired to tease him right now.

The feel of her wet skin against his was pulling away the thoughts flying through his mind, but as Kylo focused on his breathing, he came back down, thinking of the words she had spoken just a moment ago.

Love was still such a strange thing to him.

To think that, a monster such as he, was loved by such a creature as Rey, was baffling and thrilling.

He knew he didn't deserve it, but how could he question it? If he did, she'd realize that he was right, that he was not worthy of her affection, and not worthy of her love.

If he questioned it, she'd take it back.

And if he answered it, it'd make it all too real.

As he fidgeted with her hair, his worries loomed around them, reaching across through their bond.

Rey turned her face up to him, blinking away the tiredness as she placed a soft hand to his cheek.

"It's alright." she said, her eyes clear and forgiving, making his heart clench in such an unfamiliar way. "You're still mine." she mumbled as she relaxed against his chest once more.

Kylo swallowed hard as he understood.

Rey knew what a battle he was fighting within himself, she understood that he had never had to deal with caring for another, let alone loving them. She accepted his dark, though she didn't agree with it... She accepted it, and still, called him hers.

'Someone to belong to...' he thought.

How many nights had he spent in youth, asking why no one had wanted him? Not his parents... not his peers... Not his Master...

What had he done to deserve her patience? And her love?

She was always so strong... Always courageous, and brave in standing up for what she wanted, and for what she loved.

How many times had she proven that now?

Too many.

He already knew his answer... He knew it from the moment he laid his eyes on her on Takodana, from the moment they shared a touch through their bond on Ach-To, from the moment they defeated Snoke, and the moment they began to train through their bond, and when he thought he lost her several times now, it only ignited it...

Kylo realized that he too was letting the fear blind him.

With his heart beating hard and rapidly in his chest, his face warmed as his tongue begged to let the words spill out.

And just as they were going to, her soft, steady breathing filled his ears as she fell asleep in the hot tub, laying on his chest.

With a soft sigh, he swallowed, looking down at the top of her head, his mind whispering it to her.

'I love you anyway.'

With that, he relaxed in the tub as he held her close, letting the rest of the worries slip away for the night, knowing tomorrow would be hectic, yet with Rey by his side, nothing else mattered.

( X )

Author's Notes:

Leave some feedback? I'll love you forever. And then some.

Also, I wrote a VERY steamy-Reylo-full-on-smutty one shot called 'Tremble For My Beloved.'. Go check it out! If you want. No pressure...Or anything... *Cough*...


	56. Chapter 56

6 DAYS UNTIL THE WEDDING.

The following morning, a very stubborn Rey rolled to her stomach on the all-too soft bed.

"Mmmm." she grunted into her pillow, covered by her messy hair.

Inhaling deeply, she thought she caught a scent of the most divine soap, the smell of teakwood and daisies mixing into something delicious along her skin.

'That's funny...' she sleepily thought. 'I didn't take a-'

Her eyes popping open, she blinked a few times as the morning sun peaked through the curtains, warming her nude body as she lay on top of the bed surrounded by pillows and blankets.

Glancing down, she realized then that she was truly naked, and her hair was soft and brushed, her body clean and smelling so good.

Narrowed eyes found Kylo sitting in the other room, pulling his boots on, already dressed in his cleaned, black tunic. Sensing her awake, his head turned to the side, his eyes never meeting hers.

"You shouldn't sleep so long. We only have a few days left to train before the event." He said, his tone deep and already irritating Rey as she growled.

She didn't have to see his face to know he was already smirking, he practically screamed it at her through the bond.

"You could have woken me. And what's this? You bathed me and carried me to bed?" she glowered at him.

Kylo stood and slowly walked over to her, his eyes already on her naked form. Rey quickly grabbed at the nearest blanket, covering herself in such haste that nearly left her breathless.

Had she really been that tired that he was able to get away with bathing her and putting her to sleep?

Rey cursed herself as the corner of his lip turned up into a sly smile.

If Rey weren't so annoyed, she'd think it arousing.

"I couldn't resist." He said, standing at the edge of the bed, towering over her and still sporting his smirk. His large hand gripped the blanket, and Rey's eyes drifted down to watch the movement, her own hand gripping it harder.

Kylo gave a quick, stern tug as Rey's eyes narrowed even more, hissing at him.

Both the look and sound of her made his amusement grow, along with his arousal as his mind showed her the way he bathed her last night, the way his hands skimmed across her warm skin, paying extra attention to her curves, planting soft kisses along her flesh, already planning on showing her this memory as he did all of this.

He took care in draining the water, letting them dry in the tub before maneuvering her into a bridal position and carrying her to bed, where he brushed her hair and held her until he too fell asleep, and woke up just an hour ago, brushing his knuckles against her hardened nipples, trailing down her abdomen and skimming over her warm center.

Even with his actions and his memory, Rey spotted how his cheeks turned a slight pink as his eyes drifted down, his own lips still sporting his small smile.

Rey wanted so badly to be angry with him, hating that she had fallen asleep, and that during that time she was-

"Yeah, I know. You hate not being in control." Kylo scoffed, straightening himself and lightly dusting off his tunic.

He walked over to the dining table that sat a few feet away, and Rey realized now that there were covered trays and glasses of water and juice waiting there.

Mindlessly, her hands let the blanket go, allowing it to fall to her waist as she sat up and leaned forward to see what dish he was uncovering.

Kylo glanced behind him, meeting her eyes briefly before his hungry gaze fell to her exposed breasts.

Rey, however, paid no mind to him as she threw the blanket off of her with her eyes on the food before them.

Her cheeks dimpled with a smile, trying to see which plate she'd like to attack first as she walked to a rack of clothing, grabbing something that looked like a robe, though the royal blue silk was too flimsy to her liking, she still shrugged it on before eagerly walking to the table.

Kylo stood, his jaw tightening as he gulped down his arousal while he watched Rey, who was not bothering to close or tie her robe as she sat.

His mind cursed her, knowing she'd be the very death of him.

Rey's eyebrows shot up as she glanced to him before grabbing at what appeared to be some type of scrambled egg, refusing to use the silverware that lay next to her plate.

Kylo sat across from her, watching with a glare as he tried his best to keep his gaze on her face.

"You'll need to learn how to use those things for the reception." he grumbled, grabbing his own fork.

She scoffed at him, grabbing a sweet roll from a basket and taking a large bite out of it.

"Why... would I... have... to do ...that?" she asked between bites.

Again, Kylo gulped as he watched her little, pink tongue peak out to lick at her lips.

His mind clouded at the ideas he wanted to explore that involved her mouth... and the memory of how her skin pinkened beneath his touch, even as she slept. When did his mind become so easily manipulated with thoughts of her? When was it that all he could do was think of Rey? Of kissing her, and tasting her, his need to devour overcoming everything else...

He grunted as his brows drew together.

"The less attention we draw to ourselves, the better. No doubt that Caleo has invited the most important senators and rulers throughout the galaxy. It'll be dangerous, but Caleo will be sure to keep the peace."

At this, Rey slowed her chewing as she glanced to him, her hands closing the robe and moved to sit back against the chair.

"Caleo? Keep the peace?" She scoffed at him, watching as he took a bite of his food. "Ben, I-" Rey stopped herself, unsure if she should tell him about her discoveries, and DJ and their plan.

She knew she could trust Ben, in fact, that's a big part of why she was still here. However, there was still the matter of everyone else involved, including the Resistance and Lando, too.

Kylo looked at her questioningly, already reading into her mind, though she instantly guarded herself with her block before he could go any further. "I told you we can trust Lando. What is it that's bothering you?"

Rey narrowed her gaze at him, her finger tapping against the silverware at the table. "I know you said we can trust him. But it'd be very helpful if you could include me in on this plan of yours."

His own eyes squinted at her in return, his jaw tightening. "It's complicated."

"Why? Is it a secret?" she pressed, leaning closer across her plate as her frustration opened up, along with her robe. His eyes quickly darted down, and back to hers as he focused on breathing steadily.

"I wouldn't call it a secret... Though, I know you have your fair share of them."

It was Kylo's turn to shower her with a heated glare, and Rey's mouth parted to add a smart reply, but shut just as fast.

Rey knew she was found out, and she didn't need the bond to see that. But she couldn't help asking herself how it was fair that she reveal her cards, when he held his away from her view.

"I... Well..." she stammered, her brows furrowed and eyes hot as she looked around the room, snarling at him as he shook his head at her. She sighed, fed up and annoyed as she settled back against her chair again. "I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours."

At this, his chin turned up into the air as he studied her, watching intently when the heat bloomed across her cheeks. The air was thick with unspoken words, and she was projecting her worries and uncertainty in such a way that made his head begin to throb.

He wanted to tell her, but he couldn't risk any potential outcome where she could get caught with this knowledge, and if she knew the whole plan, she would no doubt make a scene.

A growl coursed through his chest as he looked up at the ceiling before his gaze settled on her again.

Kylo didn't want to hold anything from her. Surely revealing at least a little bit of information would provide some comfort to her, shouldn't it?

Heavily sighing, he narrowed his eyes at her once more.

Just as much as he was "hiding" something, so was she. He could feel it, taste it even.

And he was intrigued.

"You first." he muttered through clenched teeth.

Biting her lip, she glanced away, pleased that she had some sense of a victory, though she wasn't sure how much he was willing to reveal.

"Well... Caleo... He can't be trusted-" Rey began before he cut her off.

"That is obvious."

Her eyes flickered to his, meaning to glare at him briefly, but she was momentarily distracted with how the sun hit his face, his sharp features standing out even more so. His eyes were dark with hints of ember, his black hair wavy and tousled in such a way that it reminded her of how he looked while he was making love to her, free and unapologetic.

In the sunlight, his scar was pink, and every birthmark on his face made her want to reach across and shower him with kisses.

For an instant, she wondered if this was normal, if this is what it felt like for everyone.

Rey figured she must have been projecting, her mind yelling what she was thinking of him because shortly after, he turned his face to the side, away from the sunlight as his cheeks began to redden.

The corners of Rey's lips turned up into a shy smile, struggling to go back to the conversation at hand.

"Yes... Obvious..." Sighing, Rey continued. "Caleo is a dangerous man. Those... The devices, the ones that Vicar had? He's... He's using them to..." Rey trailed off as Kylo returned his gaze to her, trying his best not to get distracted with how her robe was creeping open...

Clearing his throat, he finished her sentence. "Using them to control the people of Naboo? I know."

Suddenly, her gaze turned dark, and she stood from her seat, his eyes widening just a bit as her anger made her skin turn red, her body fully exposed as the robe fell open.

"You knew this! And you didn't tell me? That's putting me at risk! And you!" she shouted, her mouth forming the same frown he couldn't ever resist.

Her voice bounced off of the walls, and he could swear his glass of water trembled.

"Will you calm yourself? I was in control of the situation, and I still am!" He roared at her, standing now and moving to tower over her, using his usual tactic of intimidation.

What irritated him even more, was that Rey never fell for it.

Instead, she crossed her arms and stood her ground, eyes narrowed and chin raised as she sneered at him.

"Oh right, I forgot! The Supreme Leader has the situation under control, please, allow me to be another pawn in your game!" she yelled.

Kylo inhaled sharply, understanding now why she had been so upset.

His eyes softened only a fraction, but the tension rolled away from his shoulders as he regulated his breathing again.

"Rey..." his low tone trailed off, sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose, slowly moving another step to Rey and leaning down to rest his forehead against hers.

Surprisingly, she allowed it, although she was still glaring at him with her arms crossed.

"Rey, you were never a pawn, and it was never my intention to make you feel as though you were one. Caleo has spies everywhere, some are even force users. Yes, he is using the energy harnessing devices, and I didn't tell you. The more people know, the riskier it is with the possibility that his people could pick up on our knowledge of it, and in that case, we lose any advantage."

Kylo sighed at the same time Rey did, both of them understanding.

She timidly pressed her palm to his chest, her energy quickly transferring to him, the light searing his dark mind and soul.

His hand flew to catch her wrist, squeezing it tightly before it turned gentle.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Rey began, her eyes on her own palm.

Did she just transfer her light to him so mindlessly? She cursed herself. Surrounded by such dark on this planet, it seemed the light was just begging to spread, she assumed.

"It's alright..." he muttered, releasing her wrist and pressing it to his chest again, his other hand reaching out to cup her cheek. "You're still getting stronger, the force is coming to you naturally. All the more reason to keep a low profile here, Rey."

He noticed her glance around the ground, and he swiftly caught her chin, turning her face up to meet his. "I mean it, Rey. Please, trust me. No theatrics."

Deep down, she knew he was right, and she could certainly understand his side of things, at least for the moment. If Caleo had more force users working for him, besides the child from the alley, there was no doubt that they've trained themselves to bypass the energy harnessers...

With a soft sigh, Rey pushed the dark worries away, growing more and more distracted with how Kylo was looking at her.

She gazed up at him, a glimmer of amusement entering her eyes. "With a little persuasion, we can accomplish anything, you know." she muttered.

Kylo's brow raised, his eyes intent on hers as he realized her fingertips were trailing down the length of his lightsaber that lay stationed at his hip, her arms uncrossed and allowing her robe to fall open, free to his view.

Again, his hand caught her wrist, his eyes narrowing at her as she smirked at him, his body freezing, though the blood throughout him heated at her look and the way her body begged for his attention and gaze.

Her eyes never left his as she wriggled her wrist free, letting her fingers skim across his hip before pressing lightly against the hardened member beneath his pants.

His jaw tightened and she watched his eyes grow dark at the touch.

"So many battles, where to begin..." she muttered, her fingers trailing back and forth, back and forth.

Rey couldn't help but notice the small tremble at his abdomen when she pressed harder, his breath hitching slightly.

Unable to take anymore, and knowing she was only teasing him, Kylo caught both of her hands, walking her backwards to the seat at the dining table. Her eyes were wide as he glared at her, his gaze drifting down to her neck, to her breasts, to the hot center he knew was waiting for him.

With her robe open, everything was free for his eye's taking.

Approaching the seat, he pushed her down as she stumbled against it, glaring at him while her nostrils flaring.

"Keep your head down while we are on Naboo," He bent down to her eye level, gripping her chin harshly. "Trust me," he pressed a hard, hungry kiss to her lips, Rey's eyes drifting close as she moved to taste more of him, following as he drew back. "And use the damn silverware."

Kylo let her chin go as her eyes opened to glare at him once more when he straightened himself, smoothing out his tunic and ensuring his lightsaber was still in place at his hip.

Rey watched the movement, not caring to hide herself as her gaze drifted to his member, smirking when she saw the hard outline still.

Kylo leaned down again, gripping her robe. "You are to ensure that this remains closed when I'm not here." he warned, his voice was dark and edgy, sending a delightful ache to her center.

Rey enjoyed the feeling, though she still scoffed at him. "You don't own me." she said, turning back to the food at the table, grabbing a handful.

As she was going to bring her hand to her mouth, he stepped behind her and grabbed her wrist tightly again, forcing the food from her hand as she growled at him, attempting to turn to swipe at him.

Kylo quickly ducked and buried himself in the crook of her neck, biting her there and marveling in the growl that turned into a whimper when it escaped her.

The noises she made could drive him mad, he just about swore it. Through their bond, he could feel her want, the hot need that was beginning to try and claw itself out, her center begging to be touched though she refused to voice the plea, Kylo in turn choosing to do the same and remained silent.

'Oh, this scavenger...' his mind lulled.

With a heavy sigh, he withdrew from her, looking to the door as he felt a presence there, and quickly vanished.

Squinting, Kylo began to walk to it.

"I have a meeting with Lando. I'll be back soon, we'll train then."

Rey grumbled her response to him, closing her robe with abrupt movement, frustrated and wanting his touch more than anything right now.

In their bond, they both knew that the teasing was growing to be too much, but both the scavenger and Prince of darkness equally refused to give in, to beg when the other wanted it so much. A dance of temptation and competitiveness, a battle they both knew all too well, a war they loved.

Rey reached for a silver fork next to her plate, twirling it between her fingers as Kylo opened the door, only to find a gift basket waiting at the ground.

He bent down, glancing at the well-placed fruits and chocolates throughout it, looking behind him to Rey, who seemed to be trying to fight the urge to break the fork in half.

The corner of his lip tugged for a smile as he walked the basket to her, placing it next to her plate.

"From Caleo." he stated.

She eyed the basket, tossing the fork to the side. "Oh, wonderful." she said, bored and annoyed.

Kylo sighed, meeting her eyes. "Trust me. Just... Just trust me." he softly asked of her. The tone of his voice made her glance to him, doubting she had ever heard him speak so softly before.

Without hesitating, she nodded gently, watching him as he stepped to her, bending to press a soft kiss to her lips before turning to leave.

Sighing, she watched him go, wishing that she could have willed him to stay, even if it was to banter back and forth with some meaningless argument. Rolling her eyes, she glanced back to the basket, standing to sort through it.

There were some delicious fruits she had tried before, and some dark, melting treat that looked funny to her, but what caught her attention was what lay beneath it all, hidden beneath the prizes and gifts.

Under the goods lay a broken emblem of Naboo, soot covering the once golden jewel and exposing a small, red square that seemed to have been able to light up at one point.

It was completely destroyed, and as she held it, Rey couldn't help the thrill that coursed through her.

Glancing back to the basket, she saw a small piece of paper, and written on it was a note meant only for her to see.

'Found it.' it said, and even though it was written perfectly, Rey could hear the stutter of the writer.

( X )

Author's Notes:

Oooooo that sexual tension! Lol.

I just want to thank everyone who is still reading and leaving feedback, it makes me grin so much that it hurts my cheeks, and I read your reviews at least 40 more times.

Hope you all liked this chapter, I will be posting again in a couple of days.

Stay tuned for more action!


	57. Chapter 57

5 DAYS UNTIL THE WEDDING.

Training continued, Kylo refusing to deviate from his strict schedule.

Rey's bones were tired, her muscles aching from exhaustion, but she couldn't deny that the soreness was somehow pleasing. It reminded her of the long, sweaty times of her scavenging days, working hard for the big pull, rewarding herself with dinner.

It was odd, she was sure, to view her troubles in such a unique way. But that was how Rey raised herself, to use her downfalls, limitations, and struggles by turning them into strengths, no matter how hard it was.

In fact, that was something Kylo admired about her, even now as he watched and studied her body movement while they trained, using her small form to whirl around him with ease, escaping his reach.

Today, they left the wooden staffs laying around the training grounds, using their lightsabers to draw the other to their loss.

They were equally sweaty and out of breath, Rey dressed down in one of Kylo's black, sleeveless shirts and a pair of beige, baggy pants.

Kylo, however, aimed to distract her by eventually going shirtless, a sharp spike of desire flitted through their bond and he smirked at her scowl.

If anything, though, it only drove her strikes harder against him.

For every low swipe she made, he answered with a heavy downward strike, casting his saber down only to be met by her push, refusing to give up and let him gain any momentum.

Her blows were fast and fierce, her ease and quickness throwing him off the longer they fought. Kylo's mouth formed into a thin line as his nostrils flared, his eyes wide as they watched for her next move, expecting the round of strikes she got into the habit of making after distancing themselves for some time.

Rey's eyes were sharp and intent on his as she circled around him, her lightsaber whipping thin, white and purple lines of electricity at him, as if that alone would scare him off from its master.

His eyes slightly squinted at her, sizing her up and waiting for her move, his saber hissing with anticipation for the fight.

Like a match to gasoline, their battle ignited once more, this time however, Rey charged at him, blocking his strike with the saber in one of her hands and driving a hard, flattened kick to his chest and sending him stumbling back to one knee, his hand gripping his saber at the ground.

Before he had a chance to recover and bring his saber back up, Rey was on him in the same second, planting her foot on the top of his hand so that he was unable to move his weapon, lowering herself to throw her body weight into his chest, forcing him to his back.

Kylo's free hand raised in an instant, preparing to throw her back with the force, however Rey quickly caught him by the wrist and shoved his arm down next to his head, pinning him there.

Whipping her lightsaber around, she brought in between his pinned arm and his head, the weapon extremely close to burning his skin.

Breathless, and tired against the ground, he muttered his forfeit to her.

"...Yield."

Rey narrowed her gaze at him, towering over him as she controlled both hers and his movements.

Applying more pressure with her foot on top of his hand, she watched him visibly wince.

"I didn't hear you."

Kylo sneered at her as she moved the saber towards his face, his heart beat picking up pace.

"I yield." he said, his voice louder as he glared up at her. For the quickest moment, he was reminded of the scar she had branded him with, picturing her hand and blade doing the same thing again.

Catching his thought, Rey's eyes slowly fell to his scar, trailing down to his neck. With a small, sorrowful smile, Rey leaned down and gave the closed wound a quick kiss, her smile deepening when she felt a small shudder escape him.

Satisfied, Rey retracted the saber and locked it into place at her hip, easing her foot off of his hand.

He quickly moved to get up, however Rey lowered herself to him, straddling his lap as she pressed her chest to his.

Refusing to let up on the glare, he continued watching her as a drop of sweat rolled down from behind her ear and along her neck, her skin glowing red from the workout today, her hair in a messy bun and wearing his shirt.

Even with his shame after yielding, and his annoyance with Rey, Kylo's body retaliated against him as his manhood grew beneath the strong warrior Jedi above him.

A knowing smile slowly made its way across Rey's lips as she leaned down again and aimed to press her mouth to his, and stubbornly, he moved his head so that her lips kissed his other cheek.

A small chuckle escaped Rey as she worked with what she was given, trailing her lips along his jawline and to his ear, nibbling on his lobe.

There was no hiding the second tremble that rolled through him when her teeth came in contact with his neck, his hips involuntarily pushing against her warm thighs.

He wasn't sure how he always fell for this, for the feeling that is Rey. It astonished him how quickly all of his senses were drowned by her, how easily he was captured by both the dark and the light he knew she had.

It was utterly captivating.

Slowly, he turned his head to her, capturing her lips with his for a deep, urgent kiss while his arms escaped her hold and moved themselves around her waist.

She was quickly on her back, even more breathless than when they had started, a small, startled gasp falling from her mouth and into his as he continued to slowly devour her, tasting her and nipping at her plump lips.

Her skin was beginning to grow hot, her core already vibrating with need as his coarse hands brushed the skin at her hip, easily finding their way beneath her shirt before skimming across her ribs and up to her bare breasts.

Finding her without her usual bandages stumped him momentarily, and he felt her cheeks burn as he hardened even more.

This time, Kylo trailed his mouth along her jaw, skipping everything else as his tongue lightly pressed against her neck, already baring his teeth.

"Good to see the Solo charm didn't skip a generation."

Rey jumped, her eyes opening as her cheeks and neck flushed with red. She wasn't able to see anyone since she was hidden by Kylo, but she did recognize the voice belonging to Lando Calrissian.

Rey squirmed beneath Kylo's wide body as she clawed at his shoulders, eager to get away and regain her composure, however Kylo refused, instead he chose to sink his teeth into her neck, drawing a small breathless whimper that only he could hear, her body arching her breast into his warm palm.

Behind them, Lando cleared his throat from atop the staircase, smirking as he rolled his eyes at the pair.

Growing tense and irritated, Kylo hissed and turned his head to the side, sneering his response.

"What is it?" he demanded.

Lando's eyebrow raised. "They've answered."

The atmosphere instantly changed, heavy with anticipation and nervousness. Kylo grew still as Rey studied him, her breathing still heavy as she peered up at him.

He refused her any insight into his mind, his block loud and rough as he slowly met her gaze. Seeing that he would not reveal nothing, Rey glared at him, shoving her palms into his chest and pushing him off as she rolled to her feet, grabbing her lightsaber and storming off, leaving both men watching after her.

Lando smirked at his nephew who was still sitting on the ground scoffing at Rey. "Women."

Kylo glanced to Lando, and back off into the distance, a small smile playing tugging at his lips as he reached for his own saber.

He couldn't deny that he was irritated at being interrupted once more as he gave into Rey, remembering how just a few moments ago she was already writhing at his touch...

With a grumble, Kylo shrugged his tunic back on, followed by his cloak as he thanked the force for the numerous pieces of clothing since a certain part of him refused to go away, still hard and desperate for Rey's attention.

It surprised Kylo still, how her aggression in combat flowed so freely and how she was so unashamed when it came to her pleasure, of course, until intruders showed up...

Exhaling sharply, Kylo ran a hand through his hair and straightened his tunic before climbing the stairs, joining Lando to discuss their next steps.

( X )

Later that night, they sat in silence as they ate dinner together, though this time, Rey begrudgingly used silverware.

( X )

4 DAYS UNTIL THE WEDDING.

She wondered when she'd see him again, if he had another part to this plan, or if she would be able to come up with something when the time came.

To wing it? Rey asked herself before scoffing.

It had been a couple days since she had last heard from DJ, and if their own plan was still on, she had no idea of it besides the note in the basket telling her that he had found a way to destroy the energy harnessing devices.

As of right now, she could only hope.

Sighing, Rey regripped her staff, narrowing her eyes at Kylo as he now circled her, a staff in his own hand as well.

Today's training session had been rough, with so much weighing on Rey's mind, she was an easy target for his hard, powerful attacks.

One of which, he was currently delivering.

With a quick jab to her foot, Kylo used the opposite end to whack at her arm, causing her to stumble back and lose her grip on her own weapon. Rey was forced to dodge his attacks, rolling to the side and wincing at the sudden pain shooting through her ankle that was previously broken from the battle with Vicar.

His staff came crashing down hard, whack after whack as she moved away, rolling and flipping back until her back was flat against the wall of the training grounds.

Rey was breathless, her eyes narrowed and cold on Kylo's as he raised the staff and let it smack against the wall next to her head.

He had no choice but to smirk with pride as she refused to flinch, the end of the staff so close to her head that it pulled a few strands of her hair as it came in contact with the stoned wall.

He maneuvered the staff to lay across her neck, pressing sternly, but gently, holding Rey in place just as his body was.

Kylo's eyes narrowed at her, waiting.

Thin lipped and jaw hard, Rey refused to beg audibly, instantly feeling the staff press harder against her throat, a small, strangled sound escaping her.

'I yield.' she muttered to his mind, glaring at him even harder when he shook his head.

Growling, Rey tried to push against the staff, however her energy was depleted and her bones too tired to fight his overpowered strength.

"I yield!" she yelled at him through clenched teeth.

Kylo exhaled slowly, letting the victory sink in as he lowered the staff, though his body remained close to her, pressing against her small frame. With every breath she took, her chest hit his, and he struggled not to give up the little control he had as he felt the curve of her breasts through her thin shirt.

She gave a good fight, he'd give her that at the very least, however he knew there was something troubling her, he could both feel it and see it.

Dropping the staff to the ground, his hands found the back of her neck and his thumbs cushioned themselves beneath her jaw, moving her head back and forcing her to look up at him.

"What is it?" Kylo's low voice asked, his tone somehow finding itself to be equally demanding and gentle.

Rey slowly sighed, her eyes already casting down before Kylo pressed her chin back up to him, setting his gaze on hers.

Rey knew she was cornered here. There would be no way he'd let it go now, and with training nearing its end, there was no use fighting.

"Just... worried." she answered, shifting from one foot to the other, her body moving against his muscular one.

"About?" he urged.

"What's there to not worry about? The wedding, your plans, my plans, the Resistance! I don't know what's going on anymore, and it's driving me mad!" she shouted.

Rey reached up and removed his hands from her, stepping to move around him, but he caught her wrist and forced her back against the wall again, using his other arm to block her from moving anywhere with his palm pressed flat against the stone.

"Do you doubt me?"

Kylo's eyes were hard on hers, searching for the truth, for any hint of a lie. He refused to probe her mind, knowing she'd give herself away anyway if she chose to lie.

The way he was eager for her truth made her heart clench, even more so with how serious he became at the thought of not just being doubted, but being doubted by _her_.

With another sigh, Rey reached her hand up to cup his cheek.

"No, Ben. I don't doubt you." She watched as his face began to slowly relax a fraction, tension leaving his shoulders as his gaze softened on her.

He only needed reassurance, to be reminded that she was there, that she had no plan on fleeing or leaving him alone, that she had trust in him and that her hope never deviated.

It was an odd feeling to Kylo, the need to be told these things. He couldn't remember a time when he needed the trust of someone else, or needed to be told that someone believed in him.

Was the last time someone said such a thing... was it Snoke?

The truth made the tension come back instantly, remembering how those words so easily manipulated him.

That was the darkness, Kylo remembered, always giving you what you didn't know you longed for, hyping you up, building you and encouraging you. It was wild, and tempting, and aggressive, all the things that made him who he is today.

Was it all built on a lie, he wondered?

Kylo was projecting this, without even realizing. Within a second, he felt Rey's light soothing him, washing over the dark corners that his mind was dragging him to, refusing to let up and refusing to lose this fight.

Painfully hesitant, he let her.

"Rey..." he began, his voice almost pleading with her to stop, or to keep going... He couldn't be sure.

Kylo found his forehead resting against hers as she soothed him, her fingers spreading themselves into his sweat covered hair, her other arm wrapping around him.

"I love you, Ben. Your dark, and your light. I trust you, I do not doubt you." she whispered, almost warningly. Rey's eyes looked into him, her gaze alone letting him know that she did not dare lie about this.

Beneath it all, he couldn't fathom it, and he could feel the darkness within him trying to push her statements out, trying to fight off the light that wanted to escape within him.

How could he protect her from the galaxy, and she protect him from himself?

Rey deserved so much more.

Surely, she knew...

If there was any light within him, it was her. It was her, for her, all of her...

"Rey," he began, his eyes soft on hers, his heart beginning to race and throb before getting cut off. "I lo-"

"They've arrived! They've arrived! The groom and bride have arrived!" a young woman went yelling around with a giant grin on her face, telling all who would listen as she ran off to the next person. She smiled down to Rey and Kylo briefly before moving along.

Kylo clenched his fist, his jaw tightening as he glared daggers into the girl's back as Rey stepped away, gathering her belongings with a slow sigh.

Frustrated, annoyed, and feeling that his confidence was drifting away, Kylo grumbled to himself as he grabbed his cloak that was handing over the railing of the staircase, following Rey back to the suite.

( X )

That night, _she_ convinced _him_ to ditch the silverware.

( X )

ACROSS THE GALAXY.

Her heart had been heavy for many years.

She made the distinction a very, very long time ago between dark and heavy, and she knew for certain that it was heavy, refusing to ever give any part of her to the dark side, no matter how much her mind tried to destroy her heart.

Regret and shame walked with her down every path she chose, holding her hand with every decision she made.

Behind every command and every thought-out plan, she saw the wide orbs of the eyes that belonged to him, innocent and untouched at one point in his life, eager for new lessons, and desperate for the attention of his parents.

What child should want for that?

With sadness clenching her heart, she sighed a heartbroken whimper.

If only she had shown her love, instead of simply voicing it...

Maybe that would have cast away the dark... Maybe that would have overpowered Snoke...

She'd never know.

As she turned to settle into her bed, her room dark except for the few shining stars, her mind continued its torment, asking questions she'd never have answers to, wondering what would become of them now, begging the gods of the stars to let her look into the eyes of her son once more.

Blinking away the tears, as she did every night before bed, her last thoughts always of him, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

She had never truly been one with the force, though she did know the force flowed around her, she had no sense of an idea on how to control it, or how to use it. In times like these though, she could see his signature in the dark, always the thinnest line of red in the farthest distance, so far that even he would not notice her wandering for him.

It was always thin, a veil of hatred and anger that stabbed at her being every time she saw it. Maybe seeing it was her torture, knowing fully well that she caused it...

But this time, with her eyes shut and her heart heavy, she barely had to look for his signature, her son's energy emitting vibrantly throughout the galaxy and on full display throughout the force.

She jumped, gasping as she retreated, and just as easily found him again.

His signature was beautiful...

Raw still, but beautiful.

Her mind watched in amazement as she clutched at her chest, fresh tears springing to her eyes.

Not only could she see it, but she _felt_ it.

Ben Solo, for the first time in maybe all of his life, felt love.

( X )

In the middle of the night, he woke with a start, Rey sleeping peacefully on his chest as he clutched her to him.

His eyes slowly drifted up, squinting just barely as his mind searched for the intrusion...

Before he could stop himself, before the dark could swallow the voice within him, his mind reached for it.

'Mom?'

( X )

Author's Notes:

:D I just want to say thank you all so much for reading and taking the time to leave a comment on the last chapter. Your feedback is my motivation, and I just love and adore you all, so thank you 3

This chapter was more of a filler, but it was needed for future storyline. As promised, more action coming up. The countdown to the wedding has begun!


	58. Chapter 58

3 DAYS UNTIL THE WEDDING.

'Wide right step...'

'Swipe low, extend out...'

'Swing around, hard and fast...'

'Twirl, not alone, but with your sword...'

'Now strike, urgently and powerful.'

'Feel the rage, feel the fright. Now, overcome it.'

Training was yet again an intense session. There was no need to confirm that his demeanor was stiff and tension high, so high that it caused Rey to hold back from asking what was bothering him.

Instead, she let the silence fill the air between them as they dressed for the day, and let it linger as they ate their breakfast before training.

Sighing, she went back to practicing the moves he had shown her, repeating the only few words he had spoken to her earlier.

'Now overcome it.' his deep voice rang.

Rey's movements became quicker as she continued making the same step and jab, her power performing just as much as her muscles and bones were.

Sighing, Rey looked behind her to see Kylo standing against the wall, arms crossed and foot planted on the stone behind him.

He looked a mix of relaxed and rebellious, a sight that seemed to please Rey as she offered an unreturned shy smile.

Hesitantly, she spoke. "How's it looking?"

He observed her for a moment, his face emotionless as his eyes cast down her stance.

Wordlessly, he gave a single nod of approval.

Rey's smile slowly fell as she glanced away, deactivating her lightsaber and placing it at her hip, thankful for the wind in the air today before she turned back to face him.

"What's bothering you?" she asked with a shake of her head.

Kylo's dark eyes glanced to meet hers before focusing on the sea behind her.

Again, he remained silent.

Grumbling, Rey stalked towards him, her sudden movements catching him off guard as he watched her, his eyes slightly wide and body tensing up.

Rey stood inches away from him, peering up at him with a hard glare as she pointed a slim finger at his chest.

"Don't shut me out just because you can't use your words!"

Kylo's eyes narrowed at her as his jaw visibly tensed. He moved to stand firmly on both feet, his presence at the door of her mind, loud and stubborn.

Rey continued, "Say something!" she begged. "Do something, anything!"

With both palms, she flattened them against his crossed arms and gave a hard shove, Kylo watched her still, barely budging.

The fact that he barely moved against her pushes aggravated Rey to no end, her cheeks reddening as she shoved him again, this time, with a little force.

His arms gently fell to his sides, and he made quick work to rebalance himself on his feet, his amusement and annoyance growing as he looked down at the growing, angry ball that is Rey.

With a huff, Rey stepped back, meeting his eyes.

Timidly, her mind flipped through memories over the past month, finding the time she had slapped him hard across his cheek, letting the memory play from her mind to his as she glared at him.

Kylo's knew the memory all too well, and his glance fell down to her hand that slightly twitched.

The corner of his mouth quirked into a smirk, his eyes drifting back to hers.

"You wouldn't." he finally spoke, his tone both warning and tempting.

Rey bit the inside of her cheek as she continued glaring at him, her fingers drumming against her hip as she contemplated. Eventually, her glare fell away as she knew he was right, though his attitude and silence still made her want to act out.

Kylo, however, was still smirking down at her, his eyes hooded in a lazy stare, amusement shining through with his smile slowly widening at her defeat.

It only added to her annoyance.

Rey glanced down to the ground, making sure to shield her thoughts as she slowly brought her gaze back up, her eyes landing on the lightsaber clasped at his hip.

With a small smile, she met his eyes once more, seeing the amusement slowly fade as the change in the atmosphere came to his realization.

In that instant, not allowing him to gain any upper hand, Rey reached out and grabbed his saber, amazed at how well it fit in her hand as she grasped it tightly, holding it to her chest and gripping her own at her hip to ensure he didn't take it.

She took several steps back, widening the distance between them as he yelled a curse at her, this time Rey was the one smirking.

His long legs made a single, wide step to her, making Rey take a leap back with her eyes on him.

"Rey..." he muttered, his eyes narrowing a harsh glare as his heart sped and fist clenched.

She was toying with him...

His mind began screaming insults at himself for shutting her out and being so defeated from his encounter with his mother that he had no hint of Rey's mischievousness until his lightsaber had been taken from him.

He swallowed hard, taking another step towards her.

"Tell me what was bothering you." She demanded, making a show of her gripping his saber even harder.

"No." he instantly returned, stepping to her again.

In the middle of Rey growling at him, Kylo took one last giant step to her, only for Rey to quickly dodge his hands as she took off running across the yard, Kylo watching with surprise as both fists clenched.

Kylo took off after her, and though she was quick, he was long and easily trapped her as she tried to zigzag her way out of his reach. His strong arms circled her waist and dragged her back to his chest, ripping his lightsaber out of her hands and locking it into its place at his hip.

Rey couldn't help the breathless laugh that erupted from her chest as she let her head fall against him, feeling the tension slowly fall away.

Kylo let out a grumble of a sigh, dipping his head low, his mouth hovering right above her ear.

"You will not be shown any mercy for that little act, I hope you know." he warned, and his response only caused Rey to laugh more.

Kylo was surprised when he felt himself smile at the sound, though he continued.

"And as for the threat of slapping me, again may I add," his tone dropped deep and low, sending shivers down Rey's spine and a warm jolt to the pit of her belly. "Save it for the bedroom."

With that, he let go of her waist, stepping out from behind her and grabbing his belongings before leading the way back to the suite, a smile still displayed at his lips as he felt the blood rush to her face through the bond.

( X )

Today was different, Rey felt. After training, she noticed that Kylo's mood seemed to lighten, even though she picked up on his mind still being heavy.

He was hiding it well, but Rey knew not to press any further.

After his comment, Rey followed him silently back to the suite, her cheeks pained from the heat and soft smile that wouldn't go away.

She had meant to threaten him, to warn him earlier with the thought of smacking sense into him...But... he seemed to like the idea...

The thought again made her blush.

Shaking her head, she watched as he locked the door to the suite after holding it open for her to enter, then turning to remove his cloak and head for the fresher.

With the refresher door closed, she heard the shower turn on, and with it, the dark cloud that lay over him returned, soaking him with what seemed to be doubt and regret, but at what, she did not know.

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of him going through another battle alone, knowing all too well that it was one that he was fighting against himself.

Rey refused it.

With a quick glance to the door, she removed her clothing and let it pile at her feet before joining him, sensing him freeze beneath the water and studying her as she let herself in.

Again, in regular Kylo fashion, his face was emotionless, however it did not escape her notice as his gaze hungrily fell to every curve of her body.

Her presence seemed to throw off the cloud, shuddering away momentarily as she hugged her naked form to his wet one, Kylo hesitantly brought his arms around her, as if he was unsure she was actually real.

Rey leaned away slightly to look up at him, worry and defiance in her eyes.

"I'm here." she assured him.

It took a very long moment for him to nod his response, but either way, she was glad he did.

The shower was a long one as they took turns scrubbing the work and dirt off of each other bodies, wordlessly discovering new parts to touch, new skin to explore.

This time, it was more care as neither of them took the other, but only appreciated their company and the fact that they both knew the other was not alone.

Kylo's fingertips chased droplets of water down her collar bone, to the tips of her breasts as she lathered her hands in shampoo, watching as Kylo slowly bent down to let her wash his hair.

The act alone made her heart swell for an unknown reason, her fingers mindlessly massaging the soap into his scalp before he rinsed it all away and slowly returned the favor.

Rey realized then, she had never been washed by another, to her knowledge at least. When she was left on Jakku, she was forced to share bars of soap with the commoners there, only picking up tips on how to wash her body and hair by watching the other women do so.

Right now, being bathed by Kylo for the second time, seemed more intimate now that she was awake...

The knowledge made her love grow.

( X )

When she was fully washed, Rey excused herself from his kisses to go dry off, grabbing the soft, white robe handing on the wall and putting it on, leaving Kylo to finish showering.

Rey had just closed the door to the refresher when a quick, hard knock at the front door.

With a raised brow, Rey went to answer it, freezing in her place as she came face to face with Caleo.

He smiled at her, his gaze drifting down to the tied robe before slowly meeting her glare.

"Oh... Hello, Caleo." Rey answered, gripping the robe close at her neck.

He softly chuckled.

"Good evening, Rey of Jakku. Mind if I come in for a moment?" he asked.

Rey shifted on her feet, glancing behind her to the refresher, cursing Kylo for still showering behind the closed door.

Before she could answer though, his palm pressed flat against the door, shoving it open and walking in, glancing around the area.

"Excuse m-" Rey began to yell before Caleo cut her off.

"Where is he?" he demanded before spotting the closed door and hearing the shower go on. "Ah. Showering. Perfect. I expected to speak with him, but chances are, you will be the one to deliver this." He whirled to her, nodding away his guards that were standing at the door.

Rey turned to watch one of the guards close the door before leaving them alone.

Her eyes narrowed as her heartbeat picked up its pace, trying to feel for his energy or any signs of his intention in his mind, though she saw the jewelry that sported the emblem of Naboo draped all over his neck and wrists, and assumed Caleo was fully guarded with his devices.

Her glare grew cold as he chuckled at her and shrugged.

"Can't blame a man for coming prepared."

"Why are you here? We haven't done anything..." Rey stated, crossing her arms.

He glanced away, nodding. "Sure." he mused.

The way he said it though, gave Rey an odd chill.

"I have an urgent proposition for you, one I think you may very well like." Caleo's gaze fell back to her and he smiled.

Rey waited impatiently, refusing an answer.

Figuring this, Caleo continued. "I consider myself an easy man to work with, and reigning has been a fun game. However, I am just as much of an opportunist as I am a brute." He paused to click his tongue at her.

"And the opportunity has arose, so here I am. I am willing to give up Naboo, if that is what the Prince of the fallen Alderaan would like."

His offer sat in the air, hovering like the dark cloud that had been hugging Kylo just an hour before.

Rey's shoulders tensed, her ears ringing as she glanced behind Caleo to the closed refresher door. There had to be a catch... right? She wondered.

"Why?" she demanded, watching his face intently.

He shook his head and clicked his tongue against his teeth. "The opportunity is too great for all involved. It is all his, of course, if he agrees to continue the use of the energy harnessers."

This time, Rey smiled, though amusement never reached her eyes as she scoffed at him. "Never. He'd never condone such a thing." Rey stepped closer, her hand twitching for her lightsaber as anger rose throughout her. "You use them to chain your slaves! To ground them into doing your bidding and living a lie just to give the outside a perspective of false perfection! You're mad if you truly believe he'd agree to that."

Caleo clapped his hands once at her outcry. "You'd be surprised!"

The comment made her blood run cold, and for a fleeting moment, doubt washed through her before she angrily shook it away.

"No. He would never. Name any other terms and we can work out a deal." Trying her best to remain compliant, she stepped forward and dropped her scowl. "We don't want a war, we came here for help against just that! We can work something out." she assured, nearly begging.

For a second, he almost seemed to consider it before he shook his head again, dropping his voice.

"All I am interested in is what you already have on the table. Credits and a ship. All I need is Kylo Ren's agreement to continue the enforcement of the harnessers. If there's any way he'd agree to that, it's through you."

Rey's brows furrowed as she watched him, and he watched her, neither saying another word as she thought.

"Using the harnessers doesn't have to be a bad thing, Rey. Think about it. If you can get him to agree and take over, we will announce both his rule and his alliance with Naboo during the wedding dinner."

Rey gulped, straining to keep her emotions and thoughts under control as she heard the water shut off in the fresher.

Caleo quietly moved past her, stopping just inches in front of her to mutter one last thing before leaving.

"I know you can come through on this, Jedi. I have faith."

With that, he took his leave, softly closing the door behind him.

Palms sweaty and heart racing, two things stood out in Rey's mind.

One, Caleo asked for the same offer that was already on the table... Credits and a ship... the two very things she had offered to DJ, someone she thought she skillfully aligned herself with...

Before she could curse herself for being betrayed, the second thing floated around in her mind...

If Caleo was willing to give up his rule, and required credits and a ship to leave...

Though he was still a danger, it meant that he was not the mastermind behind everything after all.

( X )

During dinner, silence fell over the pair once more.

Rey mutely played with the food on her plate, mindlessly dragging her fork through the side dish as worry plagued her mind and overworked her nerves.

Kylo glanced from his plate to her concerned features, her own gaze still down at the table, not exactly looking at anything in particular.

He figured she was still upset with him, and though he tried to show her an apology by being careful with her in the shower, he assumed it wasn't enough.

The thought alone made him want to tear his own hair out with his hands, to curse himself every spell in the book and call it a day, but his heart plead with him to make it right...

And he guessed there was only one way...

With a sigh, he placed his fork down at the table and crossed his arms against his chest, relaxing back against his chair.

After Rey left the shower, the dark cloud returned to his thoughts, flashes of his father's and mother's face rolling through his mind, regret and doubt pooling in his blood. The way he tore himself down drowned everything else out as he stood beneath the water, literally having to tear himself away and return to her presence to help alleviate the pain.

He never meant to cause her any pain while he himself continued his self-tortured...

Clenching his jaw, he forced himself to speak through every command that fought against it.

"Rey... I... I'm sorry. For how I've shut you out today... That wasn't my intention..." he muttered.

Her head slowly turned up, her worried gaze meeting his sorrowful one.

Rey's mind seemed to switch gears, as if realizing he was there for the first time.

Kylo brow twitched as Rey caught herself.

"It's okay... What happened... to cause it?" she asked, slipping back into reality with him.

Kylo cleared his throat, glancing away as he struggled to find the words and acknowledge the fact.

"I felt my mother's presence last night... It was... stronger than I had ever felt her before... It felt as though she was seeing me in a new light... I just...I'm not ready." Kylo's gaze met hers once more.

Rey saw how bothered he felt, to be observed by anyone but her, and to have the other person be his own mother, someone he swore to shut out, was a betrayal to himself she was sure.

The fact though, that he had felt Leia, sparked a new light of hope in Rey, and she was reminded of their cause in all of this.

Reaching across the table, she held out her hand to his, watching Kylo as he hesitated to take it, but once he did, he held on tightly as he slowly let out a shaky breath after his admission.

'Small steps...' Rey told herself, projecting just slightly so that he'd hear it too.

For the rest of the night, she did not mention nor ask about it, deciding that it would be best to allow him to speak about the encounter if he wanted to.

She took satisfaction in the truth that Leia was not very force sensitive, and for her to be able to sense Kylo's signature so far away, Rey knew it had to be a good sign.

Rey smiled at the thought, though she wished it would have lasted longer before thoughts of both Caleo and DJ came back to her mind.

That, too, she did not bring up. Instead, she went to bed with her guard and her block held up very, very high, wishing that Leia and Flora were there to both help and comfort her.

With a teary, defeated sigh, Rey snuggled up against Kylo's sleeping form, hoping with all she had that Kylo's plan turned out in their favor, without her having to tell him of Caleo and DJ.

( X )

Author's Notes: Thank you all so much for liking/commenting the last chapter! I am loving you all to bits and appreciate your feedback to no end. As a writer, it means the absolute world, so thank you! And of course, stay tuned :D Much more to come!


	59. Chapter 59

2 DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING.

It was still a dark, empty void.

She had never really blamed the force for anything until now, never even muttered a curse towards it until this very day.

But Rey felt defeated, beaten at a game that didn't even exist as she tried to find Flora once more through the force, channeling every good and ill feeling she could muster and hoped that it'd find its way to her friend, yet all that returned, was absolute silence.

With a frustrated growl, Rey rose from the floor of the suite, tugging her hair out of her three signature buns and tossing away the bands. She was grateful that Kylo allowed them to skip training for the day when she had asked, however he proposed that they meditate together instead.

From the ground, Kylo inhaled deeply as he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze landing on Rey as she began to pace a few feet in front of him.

"You were supposed to remain calm." his deep voice mused.

"I can't. It's like I'm being blocked off from her specifically. I swear... I swear I can feel her somewhere out there, as though I'm being soothed, like the force is giving me just enough to know she's alive and refusing me anything else." Rey sneered, coming to a halt as she glared at the ground with her arms crossed.

Kylo looked at her with a blank expression, moving to stretch his legs out in front of him and lean back against his hands. He couldn't exactly relate to her needing her friend, but he did understand the frantic need to ensure her friend was okay.

The memory of Rey lying in his room, bleeding and her force signature wavering in and out as her life dimmed on Excora made his blood chill.

With a shake of his head, he rammed the memory out of his mind as he stood.

"I'm sure she's fine." He muttered to her, raking a large hand down his face.

Rey turned to him, rolling her eyes and grumbled, "You can't know that."

Feeling the heat roll to his face, Kylo clenched his jaw.

He didn't want to fight with Rey, in fact, he had been trying very hard to avoid this certain attitude of hers by trying to meditate together. Her impatience and worry were clashing against one another, and the frustration was beginning to reach a new peak, something he could easily pick up on with or without the bond.

His own annoyance was growing as well, and though it was new to him, he tried his absolute best to suppress it with a light hope that maybe Rey would understand in the long run.

Standing tall, Kylo squared his shoulders and slowly made his way to Rey, who was watching him warily with an annoyed look, arms still crossed.

Still with his blank expression, he held out his open palm to her, a silent plea for her hand and her cooperation.

Feeling defeated, Rey softly sighed and let her smaller hand slide into his waiting one, following him as he led her to the large window in the living area, their reflection staring back at them as Naboo carried on beneath them.

Kylo stood directly behind Rey, his hand never leaving hers as his other found its way to rest on her hip. Mindlessly, Rey leaned back against his hard chest, watching her reflection move in the sunlight.

"Do you ever think about it?" he softly asked after a while, his breath hitting her earlobe.

"Think about what?" Rey questioned, her brows lightly creasing.

Kylo remained silent for a while longer as he thought of the words forming on the tip of his tongue.

"Joining me in the first place."

Rey's heart seemed to freeze momentarily, her breath catching in her throat as she felt the wave of anticipation roll into her from Kylo.

She'd be lying if she were to say she didn't, though in the end, she never would have because of her friends. Rey knew this for a fact, and so did he.

"What happened to letting the past die?" she asked, only half teasing.

Rey moved to face him, though as she turned half way, Kylo quickly caught her wrist and forced her back, his grip on her waist hardened as he kept her there.

The amusement and brief sorrow she previously felt fell away.

"Do you know why I wanted you to join me? Because you're destined for greatness. Your strength is never ending, your drive is relentless, and the force calls to you so easily because it itself knows."

Kylo peered down into her, meeting her eyes in the reflection of the window as he continued.

"I'm not meant to rule the galaxy, Ben." Rey whispered, her eyes wide. She hated that they needed to have the conversation again, but she understood. They were both fighting for what they believed was right.

"No... You aren't, I suppose. But you are meant to be a leader. You're a fighter, a warrior. I saw it the first time we met on Takodana, and I relived it again when we defeated Snoke and his guards. The amount of training you combed yourself with to fight Viccar and his guards next was... It's unthinkable."

Kylo gently released Rey's hip, his fingers lightly skimming the flesh there before his other hand released her, taking a step back so that Rey only saw her reflection in the window, Naboo shining bright in the background.

He continued, "You don't need anyone to rule with, Rey. You alone are capable of so much more."

With that, Kylo turned on his heel and left the room, already sensing someone at the door before they knocked, leaving Rey to herself as she let out a shaky breath.

Rey recognized the very few times that Kylo had allowed himself to open up, and she knew that this moment would be one of those times as she replayed his soft-spoken words over and over again in her mind.

Her eyes sought out the strength he saw in her, as if her reflection would reveal the answers she wanted. She never considered herself to be the things he described of her, the acts she made had all been by pure instinct; to protect, fiercely at that.

Is that what made a good leader? She wondered as Kylo let in a couple guests.

Giving her reflection one last stern look, she raised her chin and squared her shoulders, something she had witnessed Kylo do so many times, and turned around to see who he let in.

Once she saw, she immediately froze, her chin in the air as she focused blanking her expression, her eyes casting a fixed look on their guests and back to Kylo.

In the dining area of the suite stood Hydia, one of Caleo's servants that Rey had previously encountered when she was administered the contraceptive, though this was not who caught Rey off guard.

To Hydia's left stood DJ, dressed in the normal Naboo servant garb as he held a black garment out to Kylo. His eyes flashed to Rey with a knowing look before returning to Kylo as Hydia spoke.

"Master Ren, Lady Rey." she acknowledged with a quick bow of her head. "Caleo has sent us with your outfits for the wedding, any alterations will be handled by me personally. This here is... Oh, um... I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name?" Hydia blinked furiously as she blushed, glancing from the ground back to DJ's face.

Rey tried her best to remain calm, though she knew there were no amount of energy harnessing devices that could tune out DJ's mind.

'Don't think about anything, don't think about anything, don't think about anything...' his mind kept repeating over and over.

Rey quickly glanced to Kylo's face and saw his expression already hard and focused, the corner of his eye twitching as he tried to push past DJ's projecting.

She had to give it to him. He was quick.

Clapping her hands hard, Rey jumped in front of Kylo, peering up at him as she tried to gain his attention. "Wonderful! I've never seen you dressed up for an event such as this! Bet this will be a new experience." Rey exclaimed.

Kylo's eyes were still on DJ, the rest of his face blank. His gaze was only torn away when Rey tugged at his lightsaber using the little force she was able to conjure up, his head quickly turning to her as his hand shot to his weapon, making Hydia and DJ jump.

Rey awkwardly laughed, glancing around the room as she wrung her hands before looking back to Kylo, who was now trying to peer into her own mind.

"Rey, what's goin-" he began to ask, his voice deep and soaked with suspicion.

"Hydia, DJ, thank you both so much, I think we can handle it from here." Rey stated.

She moved to Hydia, taking a long, black dress and placing it carefully on the bed before moving to stand in front of DJ, taking the suit from his hands and draping it over her arm. As she did this, he skillfully placed a note in her hand, and she immediately clenched her fist.

Rey knew she could easily rat him out here, but by doing so would also put her in the hotspot for trying to make her own alliance here, and in turn, endangering both her and Kylo since DJ tried to get a better deal from Caleo.

Taking the suit and the note from DJ, Rey cast a very heated and narrowed glare to him, to which DJ gave a small apologetic shrug before Hydia led him out the door, Kylo following to lock it behind them.

Turning, Kylo pressed his back against the door as he sent a glare of his own to Rey.

His eyes were narrowed and black, his mouth in a thin line that matched the hard set of his jaw.

Even from across the room, Rey could see his nostrils flare with frustration.

"What was that?" He demanded.

With a gulp and a sigh, Rey couldn't figure a way out of this one, and against her judgment and fear, she started.

( X )

The worst of it was over, she was sure.

Well, at least she hoped.

She explained everything that she felt was needed, from the time she met DJ, to how he showed her the crates of the harnessers, to her offer to him in exchange for his help.

She left out the part where Caleo made his own bargain, but she knew Kylo was already getting heated as he sat on the edge of the bed, never meeting her eyes, his body stiff as he listened to her ramble on with her admission.

Finally catching her breath, Rey stood inches away from Kylo, the silence killing her nerves as she waited for his response for several minutes, expecting him to be livid, knowing she deserved it.

Surprisingly, his voice was calmer than she thought it'd be.

"Why? What was your goal here?"

His question threw her off as she shifted from foot to foot, her brow creasing with confusion as she thought. What was her answer? Rey herself couldn't come up with one other than the deep feeling of fear in her gut at the thought of not being in control, of not having a back-up plan.

"I... Well... You wouldn't include me in your plan. I was just trying to have a back-up in case-" she began, her own stuttering reminded her of the damned fool that was in their room just a while ago.

Rey was nearly grateful that Kylo put an end to it, cutting her off as he stood, slowly pacing in front of her with his hands clasped behind his back, standing wide and tall.

"Don't you trust me?" he asked, his tone hard with an edge of sarcasm.

Inhaling sharply, Rey tried her best to move past the pang of guilt that was beginning to settle in her stomach.

"Yes... I do... -" Rey whispered, looking down at her hands. She meant to continue, thought she wasn't sure what she intended to say as he paced towards her, interrupting her train of thought.

"And what will you do now that this ally of yours has betrayed you?"

Rey blinked, her gaze sharpening as she stared at the floor before slowly and carefully trailing up to meet his eyes. He was searching for something on her face, his look was intense and expecting.

Again, her brows furrowed as she thought, her eyes tearing away from his as she spoke to herself out loud.

"He knows how to deactivate the energy harnessers, and he knows his way around the city..." Choosing her words carefully, Rey continued, "He tried to find a better deal, but was refused... He has no one else, though he's already proven himself to be untrustworthy... And there's something so familiar about him..."

Kylo's hands clenched into tight fists behind his back as he stalked to her, craning his neck to catch her gaze.

He did not want to strike fear into her, and he also did not want the secrecy to continue. Kylo continued to tell himself that all of this was for her benefit, that soon she'd see the truth...

"Rey, what will you do?" he repeated.

She peered up at him, and Kylo saw the dots finally connect as realization settled into her gaze, her pink lips forming into the thoughtful frown he had come to adore.

"Is this a test? You're grooming me for something... I can feel it..." Rey searched his face quickly, and when he glanced away, turning himself in the other direction, she knew.

"Rey-" he began, quickly cut off.

"You knew that I was forming an alliance with him already, didn't you?" Rey demanded, whipping around to stand in front of him and forced Kylo to stay there.

His eyes slowly rolled down to meet hers, and she noticed the tips of his ears begin to burn red from beneath his dark hair.

Rey couldn't pinpoint exactly how she felt, though confused, relieved, and angry seemed to come to her mind. She wanted to curse herself for being so careless, but she was intrigued.

"How... How did you know?" she asked with a shake of her head.

Kylo inhaled deep and slow, watching a mix of emotions cross her face.

It was true. He was trying to train her and let her make these needed mistakes, knowing that if he ousted her too soon, he could end up pushing her away, and if she did continue her alliance with the stuttering code breaker, Kylo ensured his plan would make no room for any betrayal, covering his bases for no surprises.

Kylo had felt his presence the same day they'd arrived on Naboo, and again as the same man hovered close as he watched Rey train with him, and once his meeting with Lando was over, he personally witnessed the man named 'DJ' showcasing the devices to Rey, the same crates Kylo had Lando lay out previously.

He knew Rey would be angry with him, but it was fair, wasn't it? She attempted to form an alliance with an absolute stranger, an idea that boggled his mind and irritated his nerves.

Trust.

That was all he asked of her...

And since she refused it, she'd have to learn this lesson herself.

Clearing his throat, he focused on her once more before he finally answered.

"The harnessers are a big block, but after overseeing the First Order for so long you see the same face in many different people."

His answer made Rey narrow her eyes at him. "And what do you see, hmm? Fear?" she challenged.

Her cheeks were beginning to flush pink as she spoke, at once understanding exactly what she felt.

Embarrassment. Shame. A mix of the two that was beginning to turn her stomach. Kylo had been grooming her, trying to let her make the best decision and she ended up choosing wrong, making her look like a damned fool, which in turn, made her frustrated.

Seeing only her anger, Kylo bit back. "No. After Crait, I performed a security clean up on the higher ranks of my fleet, which includes peering into their minds to see what they saw, and the code breaker's face appeared in several of their minds. And you know what I saw in his face that was there again today? Desperation."

Code breaker? The title rang a small bell in Rey's mind, though she pushed it aside momentarily.

Quickly, Rey was brought back to their conversation, that one word, 'Desperation', flung Caleo's face through her mind as she remembered Caleo's offer, an act of desperation all in itself.

She had withheld that part of the story, though now, she was sure he must have known...

Either way, she was still wary as she tried her best to cool down.

Sighing, she squeezed the back of her neck as she stared at her feet, brows furrowed and frowning as she thought.

Caleo's one rule was that Kylo must agree to continue the use of the harnessers, along with a ship and credits to Caleo's name if her bonded agreed... But she knew he would never.

Right?

"Ben... What do you think of these devices?" she timidly questioned, slowly moving to turn her back to him. She mustered up as much energy as she could to feel him through their bond, but he was already there, his block held high.

Behind her, he tensed. "I can recognize the use for them, though in the long run I see them as too much of a risk."

She took that in, wondering if that was an answer she'd be able to accept.

What used would they be good for? Rey wondered, disappointed that Kylo wasn't against the idea completely, but at least he knew it would be a risk.

Sighing, Rey turned back to him, standing a foot in front of Kylo as she peered up at him, watching his expression as she revealed the rest of her truth.

"Caleo offered to give up his rule to you if you'd agree to continue the use of these harnessers." she said in one stern breath.

Kylo's eye slightly widened briefly, his jaw setting tight as he looked down at her, obviously taken back by the news.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Rey adds, "Hmm. That one escaped your radar. Is it because you and Caleo know each other too well?"

His face immediately blanked, making sure to wash away any feeling he was reflecting, even though both he and Rey knew it was too late now.

Narrowing his eyes at her, he replied "It appears secrets can still be harbored if you know a person or not."

Rey's lip turned up into an unamused smile, crossing her arms in front of her as she realized they were back to taking shots at one another. "And you? I've given you everything I have now, why can't you let me in on this plan?"

Squaring his shoulders and straightening his tunic, Kylo rolled his eyes before fixating on random objects behind Rey. "I have a plan already set in action. Your emotions would get the best of you and in turn would cost us everything."

"Who doesn't trust who now?" she growled at him.

"You know, you were doing well with training. Your physical strength and ability to channel the force is truly remarkable. You needed this experience."

"That wasn't for you to decide." she bit at him

"No? If I exposed your little alliance too early, you'd hate me for it and could have possibly ruined any chance of getting off of this planet by any retaliation from your new little friend. If you continued your alliance, you'd see it was never necessary and would have a different kind of rebel to tend to."

He stopped to breathe for a moment, and to let her take it in before he continued.

"Look at it from all angles, Rey. Why does he want to get off of Naboo so badly? Where would he go? If he betrayed you now, so early on, what else is he capable of doing? How far is he willing to go?"

Rey bit the inside of her cheek to keep from bursting with anger, however she found she was angrier with herself than with him. These questions he had brought up were ones she previously thought of, but she never delved into them, Rey herself was so desperate to be in charge of her own plan that paid no extra attention to DJ's true motives.

Stalking back to the suit she had laid on the bed, Rey reached beneath it and felt for the note that DJ secretly placed into her hand, ripping it open to reveal a scrawled note:

'I'm still game if you are.'

Kylo watched as Rey exclaimed a curse that could make the vilest of serpent's blush, yelling at herself for being a fool while she crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it against the wall.

He remembered the times when he was in the same position, anger shaking him as he failed the tests that Luke and Snoke gave him, both in childhood and in adulthood. The memory of his own childhood reminded Kylo that Rey did not have one, and at that, barely had a teacher.

"What will you do about Caleo and his offer?" she wondered, her tone distant.

"I will handle Caleo." Kylo assured her, his own voice was cold and stern, letting her know there was nothing else to be said about the man.

"I... I'm..." Rey started to speak several times, but eventually she just shook her head at herself as she closed her eyes, clenching her jaw.

His anger subsided a long time ago, even when he had learned of the attempted alliance Rey was creating, he couldn't stay mad at her. Part of the anger and betrayal he felt had been emptied into Rey when he returned to the suite and made love to her on floor in front of the city, bathed in the moonlight as his worries and hurt washed away.

Now, he was just focused on bettering her, and with her, himself.

Grasping her hand gently, he repeated the words he spoke to her earlier as his other hand reached up to cradle her cheek.

"I meant it when I said that you alone are capable of so much more, Rey."

Meeting his gaze, Rey gave a sigh of defeat, surprised that he was so forgiving and still so ready to help her train, even when it was for a battle against herself.

Leaning into his hand, Rey deeply inhaled his scent when she felt the tension and annoyance finally roll away her.

'Ben believes in me so much... Why can't I believe in myself?' she wondered.

Biting her bottom lip, Rey closed her eyes as she took a hard, mental note, telling herself that this failed test will not be wasted as her mind began to try again.

( X )

1 DAY UNTIL THE WEDDING.

She woke up to the feeling of Kylo's lips nuzzling the flesh below her ear, his warm palm gently rubbing the line between her abs as her eyes began to open.

Her cheek dimpled as a slow smile crept along her face when he pressed his hardened member against her backside, fully aware that he succeeded in waking her up.

"Hmm..." she mumbled, her throat still raspy with sleep.

Kylo's hair tickled Rey's neck as he pressed light kisses along her pulse and down to the edge of her shoulder.

The previous day had been emotionally and mentally tiring with Rey's mind running, a clear and new mindset sitting in place while she had tried to go over her opportunities, determined to make Kylo and herself proud.

Sleep came easily after dinner last night, neither one of them complaining that it was too early since they each knew the wedding was approaching very fast.

And now, the day before the event, they lay in bed as Kylo tried to wordlessly coax her.

Cradling her body against his chest, he let one hand find its way into her hair, gently massaging and pulling in a way that made Rey arch into him, bringing forth a low grumble from him as she pressed into his ready and impatient member.

His other hand was making its way towards her center, his fingertips barely skimming against her abdomen as he trailed further and further down before being stopped by her own hand.

"As I recall, the next time you make love to me, you'd be the one begging to start and I would be the one begging to stop." she teasingly reminded him, and the throaty, seductive sound of her voice made him harden even more.

Nipping at her shoulder, he marveled at the shudder that coursed through her. "Don't remind me." he growled into her skin.

Rey chuckled, a sound that Kylo found himself to be relieved at given the tense discussion yesterday.

Skillfully maneuvering her hips, Rey pressed herself against his body even more, sure that their bodies would mend together at how close they were at this point.

"Are you ready to beg?" she asked, her eyes drifting close as his hand tugged at her hair, forcing her head back.

Kylo was torn as he bit at her flesh again, this time a little bit harder. He was a man after all, the lust he felt for Rey was unfathomable and he truly couldn't stand the teasing any longer since he had a taste of what she felt like...

But the competitive side of him would always win.

Always.

With a defeated and frustrated sigh, Kylo moved himself away from her, giving Rey room to lay on her back while he hovered over her, letting her relax before he pressed a warm, soft kiss to her mouth, his tongue skimming over her lower lip.

Rey's head moved to keep her mouth on his as he slowly leaned away, his hand sliding up to her neck and gently pushing her back against the bed.

Her eyes opened to meet his with a narrowed look to which he smirked at.

"Not today, Scavenger." he said, hiding a smile when Rey rolled her eyes at him.

Sighing, Kylo moved to stand up and began to gather his clothing for the day, hearing Rey tease him by calling him this name and that.

The satisfaction that she was equally sexually frustrated was pleasing to Kylo as he dressed.

"Where are you going anyway?" Rey asked from bed, studying him as he pulled on his tunic.

"I have a meeting with Lando and his guards. This one may take a while." Kylo said while tugged on his pants next. Rey's brow twitched with the want to fight, to demand that she tag along, but she reminded herself of his comment yesterday about her emotions getting the best of her.

Choosing to remain quiet, Rey settled against a stack of pillows when she sat up in bed, her eyes still on Kylo.

It wasn't long before they were saying their goodbyes, Kylo and Rey giving each other a long, hot kiss as if that alone could fix their problems.

Unfortunately for them both, it wouldn't.

( X )

Fog filled the dark chamber, rolling around in waves against the stoned throne. In front of him, a hologram message plays on repeat, the voice of an eager and panicked ruler fills the empty space.

"As you instructed, the offer has been relayed to the desert girl. We will know the decision of Kylo Ren at the wedding tomorrow night. They are aware of the conditions."

The message made him smile a dark, sneaky smirk.

"As always, Master, Naboo extends our deepest loyalty-"

He switches the hologram message off, continuing to smile to himself in the dark as bacta fluid filled his senses.

( X )

"Supreme Leader Hux, we have a location!" a random trooped called out from behind his comm unit.

From his large seat, Armitage Hux turned to wordlessly confirm this information with his first in line, to which the trusted man nodded in agreement.

Hux's mouth formed into a disgusting smile as chaos erupted before him, his men running this way and that way to pass along their next orders.

He sat back against his chair, with one though flying through his mind:

'Kylo Ren, you will pay, you pathetic little royal dog.'

Tapping his gloved finger against his knee, his thoughts continued.

'And that vile desert rat.'

( X )

Pacing back and forth, Poe Dameron rubbed at his forehead, glancing up at the window of their large ship to look at the stars amongst them.

The days on the ship seemed numbered, the amount of Resistance members dwindling along with their fuel and supplies. It reminded him of Crait, and all of the choices that led them there.

'How was this happening again?' he hissed at his mind. 'How could I-'

"Stop your worrying."

Poe froze his pacing, turning to see Leia walking up to him, joining him at the window as she looped her arm through his.

Sighing, he did his best to lay his nerves at ease, knowing fully well that he was caught yet again. Ever since Rey had left, it seemed Leia was constantly catching him in this position, always worrying and thinking, too preoccupied to move on to the next plan.

For once, he understood why Finn was so frantic to get to Rey before she returned to the Resistance... In hopes of saving her from returning to nothing.

"I'm sorry, Leia. I'm just... I don't know." He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Leia hushed him, patting at his hand that was near her arm. "It comes with the territory."

Poe tried to chuckle, the forced sound coming off awkward and breathless. He couldn't keep it in anymore.

"Leia, something is going to happen. I feel it, I see it. I don't need the force to know it."

Poe's heartbeat was beginning to pick up its pace as he looked down at the General, following her long gaze to the stars outside the window. Her expression was equally worried, but still, her aura was calming to him.

"I know, Poe. I know." she muttered.

A brief moment of silence passed between them as they watched the stars flicker around them. "What are we going to do? Rey's gone... Our numbers are low, so are our supplies-"

"It's no use worrying. Rey will come through, she always does. We're making do with what we have, and we'll be fine. I know we will."

Poe's brows furrowed as he looked down at her at his side. "How do you know? A force thing?"

Leia chuckled this time, turning to meet the eyes that reminded her of her son's. "No. You have hope. You have hope, and you steady on."

With that, they both turned their gazes back to the stars and let her words wrap around them.

( X )

In the far, far distance of the galaxy, a broken and rusted ship made its way through the stars, the tall, hairy pilot grumbling and roaring the entire way.

( X ) (X )

Author's Notes:

Woo! Hope you guys liked this chapter, and I apologize for the delay. This one was a longer one, and there is a lot going on. I just wanted to make sure it was laid out how I pictured it, and I really hope you all enjoyed it.

Next chapter: SOME SHIT IS GOIN' DOWN. And a WHOLE lot of sexiness, FINALLY! Lol! Stay tuned, and leave me pretty reviews 3


	60. Chapter 60

Rey's makeup / hair / and dress!

THE DAY OF THE WEDDING.

( x )

It was maddening now.

In every moment since she woke, she tried to reach out through the force for guidance, for her friend, for her master. No one answered her, the force seemingly refusing any comfort to her mind to ensure all would be okay.

But she could make it be okay, couldn't she? At least that's what she felt Ben was alluding to...

She wasn't sure if she had it in her to lead anybody, and even if she did, who would that be?

She didn't know.

Why would she anyway?

'For Leia... For Poe... For Finn and Rose... For Flora, and Chewie, and the rest of her friends... For Ben... For myself...' Rey's mind whispered to her.

Mindlessly, Rey bit at her bottom lip.

The only leaders she had ever really known had been Leia and Ben, people on the opposite sides of the war who led in extremely different ways. Leia was more headstrong, always analyzing the person she fought against, understanding their weakness and attacking when the moment was right.

With Ben, he was more strategic, stern in his ways when it came to recognizing a threat and stopping it in its place. It was like a game, Rey realized. 'Use the right pieces, at the right moments, think of where you are and where you want to be...' Rey nodded to herself.

Thinking of the statement, she knew she was stuck here, just like the people who resided here on Naboo, following orders and never breathing a breath of air that belonged to just them.

'Freedom.'

Something she could relate heavily to when it came to longing for it...

Ben was always cautious, always knowing the way his team thought, and Rey understood why that worked, how they went so long without any faulty member until Finn turned. Pair that with Leia's care and strength...

'That is how I can do this.' Rey thought.

Flicking her eyes up to Hidiya's form in the mirror, she watched the girl as she brushed away at Rey's own hair, having readied Rey's makeup just a little while before.

Prior to her arrival, Ben and Rey woke and dressed for the day in silence, choosing to go train for a little while before needing to ready himself for the ceremony. Rey however, chose to stay behind and meditate, which Ben both understood and allowed.

A few hours later, Rey found herself in this moment, deep in thought as her hair was brushed this way and that.

"Lady Rey?"

Rey was pulled out of her trance by Hidiya's soft, questioning voice. Their gazes met in the mirror, Hidiya's eyebrow raising as she smiled teasingly.

"Oh, I'm sorry Hidiya. I was quite lost in thought there." Rey blinked away the fogginess, returning a quick smile to the girl as her eyes drifted down to her own reflection.

Her eyes were brimmed with black coal, her lids shadowed with a simple silver smoke that made her eyes light up brought out her freckles. Along her lips was a pink gloss that made her mouth sticky, and for a moment, Rey debated wiping it off just to resist the urge of licking it away.

Rey's hair was brushed back, feathering along her shoulders as she sat back against the chair, momentarily shocked by her own reflection.

There were times she had seen royalty made up in such paint, but she never in her life thought she'd be sitting here like a mirror of those holos.

Her cheeks warmed with high hopes that Ben would like it.

A voice in the back of her mind told her she looked determined, ready, dark even... With a nod, she knew he'd like it. She herself did.

"What do you think?" Hidiya asked, watching Rey's expression with a hopeful, shy smile.

Rey grinned, turning to the girl.

"I like it Hidiya, thank you so much. Will you be joining us tonight?" Rey asked.

Hidiya wrung her hands and gave a hard, awkward chuckle. "Oh, no! Servants aren't allowed at such events, unless of course we're working."

Rey nodded, understanding as she felt a small wave of disappointment flow through her. For whatever reason, she felt as though she could relate to Hidiya, and having that so nearby made Rey's nerves quiet, the only other person she felt comfortable with in some way.

For a second, Rey cursed herself for not choosing a better alliance with Hidiya instead of DJ, and the thought sparks a small, distant fire in her.

A brief silence fills the air around them as Hidiya walks to the living area to retrieve Rey's dress, carrying it back to her as Rey watches her carefully, an eager test forming into a quiet question on her tongue.

"Hidiya... If you had the chance to change your life, would you do it?"

Rey watched as Hidiya's eyes fell to the floor, the question tugging at the girl's fears and anxieties.

For a long moment, they both remained quiet as they stood within a foot of each other, Rey thinking that she may not answer, until she sees the slightest nod from Hidiya.

"I would..." she answers softly, afraid of her vocal betrayal being heard from outsiders.

Rey felt the shimmer of light vibrate throughout her, hope sparking the dark corners of her mind with such fire that she couldn't think anymore, her tongue taking free reign and guiding Rey to her goal.

"I know how it feels to be forced to answer to someone else, to not be in charge of your own life...I've trusted the wrong people... I've made mistakes... I have regrets... But it's all made me stronger..."

Rey turned around, gently grasping her lightsaber that was tucked away beneath her belongings on the counter. Her reflection mimicked her movements, and she could only pray that she didn't show the brief fear that she felt as she turned back to Hidiya, who was watching her with wide eyes.

Rey continued, her voice steady and quiet, almost seductive with how low it was. "If you help me, you'll never answer to anyone else again. The chance is now, to change your life... or his."

Hidiya eyes the saber in Rey's hand, watching as she turned it over and slowly held it out for her to take. Her eyes widened, and the breath caught in her chest, panic rising.

Seeing the nerves surfacing, Rey debates breaking the emblem that lay at Hidiya's wrist, in hopes that it would break the trance it has over the girl, and using the opportunity to mind trick her...

Ultimately, Rey decides against it, knowing that it will not be how she wins this war, that she will remain true to her word if Hidiya chose to help her.

Focusing on the girl in front of her again, Rey squares her shoulders and offers the lightsaber once more.

"Take it. Help me tonight, become your own master, and I will forever be in your debt."

Rey couldn't help the rise in her tone as she nearly begged, knowing that Kylo was drawing near, his presence prodding through her headache in their bond.

Biting her bottom lip, Hidiya gulped as she took the lightsaber in her hand, her eyes slowly catching Rey's. For a moment, both girls thought they saw tears swimming in each other's eyes.

"I... I'll get caught...-" Hidiya began quietly, shaking her head.

"No, I'll protect you. I'll ensure you are not put at risk. Just ensure this gets to the reception, and I'll take it from there." Rey assured, her heart hammering away in her chest.

"But... But Caleo...-"

A darkness crept into Rey's mind at the mention of his name. "Will be handled."

Hidiya's eyes focused on Rey's once more, and they watched each other in all seriousness, testing the bounds of trust within the other.

Eventually, Kylo walked in through the front door, breaking the tense look between both girls. Rey looked over her shoulder at him, blinking away the frenzy static in her nerves.

Kylo slowed his pace, meeting her gaze as he made his way to her, paying no mind to Hidiya as she began to gather her belongings, tucking away Rey's lightsaber beneath her the cloak she draped over her arm.

Inhaling deeply, Rey offered a small smile Kylo. "How was training?" she asked.

His jaw hardened as he shrugged, the motion seemed so boyish to Rey that it made her heart flutter.

"It was fine. Oddly not the same without you." he muttered, not bothering to hide his gaze as it drifted down along the robe she wore before moving back up, pausing to admire her hair and makeup.

For the first time, he seemed stunned in place, making Rey blush as she remembered Hidiya's work on her.

Pressing her lips together, Rey let her mouth form into a small pout as the lipstick dried. "The paint is... strange..." she whispered to him, avoiding his eyes, knowing he was back to studying her.

"You look beautiful, Rey." he answered to her. She noticed his tone was soft and stern, angelic in way she had never heard him before as she met his eyes, her red cheeks growing warm.

"Well Lady Rey, your dress is ready for you. Master Ren, your suit is laid out on the bed. If you'd like, we can send up a hairdresser for yo-"

"No." Kylo cut off, still admiring Rey. When Rey raised a brow at him, he sighed and turned to Hidiya. "... No, thank you. We've got it from here." He grumbled, his jaw tensing as he glanced to the girl.

Hidiya blinked, having not expected the apology, though the gesture still made her slightly nod and smile, hoping she didn't take too long to do so.

With a quick glance to Rey, the girls shared a knowing look before turned to exit the suite, pausing by the door to look back at the pair.

"I hope you both like your outfits. I was advised to say that Caleo picked them out himself... He also advises that there is to be no deviance from the chosen items."

She gave a final nod to them both, offering an apologetic smile to Rey before turning to leave.

With a raised brow, Rey sighed, knowing it was not a good sign.

Turning back to Kylo, Rey held still as she watched his hand, already in motion, coming up beside her ear, catching a wisp of her hair between his fingers and testing the softness of it, his eyes entranced still.

Rey shyly smiled at this, wishing dearly that they weren't going to be faced with another test that evening.

With the reminder, Kylo sighed, releasing her hair and turning on his heel. "I'm going to shower." He stated, already making it to the fresher. Rey watched as he closed the door behind him.

When she turned back to the mirror, her gaze drifted down to the counter, searching for her saber while her heart froze, realizing Hidiya chose to take it after all.

( X )

An hour later, Rey was pacing back and forth, her palms sweaty as she rubbed at the nape of her neck. Her nerves were working overtime, and the fact that she was wearing this ridiculous outfit was beginning create a headache she couldn't handle.

She shook her head as she continued pacing.

The dress itself could be very appealing, she knew this for certain.

But it was not a dress Rey herself would ever believe she'd wear. The garb was a long, black dress, with long sleeves that fit her arms just right, and somehow, the dress was snug enough to fit her, though not allow much movement.

She was sure Caleo did that on purpose, in hopes of avoiding any fight.

Beyond that, however, the dress left her shoulders open for view, the scar on her arm barely hidden beneath the thin fabric. Along the rest of the garment were sheer straps and hard lining, her tanned flesh peeking through the sheer cutouts along her body, even her thighs making an appearance beneath the lines.

The longer she studied it, the angrier she grew.

Now, there was no doubt at all that Caleo was purposefully drawing this reaction from her, knowing what he was doing as he picked this outfit. He meant to send a message she was sure, to behave, as if to one up her and show his place as the ruler here.

It both confused her, and irritated her.

Catching her scowl in the mirror that hung along the wall, Rey walked over to it, holding her head up high.

With her annoyance plastered on her face, the black dress added to the dangerous rage that coursed through her, making her appear threatening and intimidating.

Behind her, she heard Kylo walking from the refresher, showered and already dressed in an all-black suit, the creases and sharp lines of his garb made him look even taller, his black hair feathering at his shoulders.

Slowly turning to face him, Rey continued watching as he grabbed for his long cloak, his eyes scanning the room before falling on her.

His hands froze on his cloak, as his gaze very slowly fell down along her body, widening as he took in the sight of her.

For a moment, his brain short circuited, stuck in the trance of staying still, as if he were frozen in a dream that he dared not wake from, and struggled with going directly over to her and ripping the damned thing off.

She looked equal parts of inviting and menacing, her soft skin appearing beneath sheer fabric that offered promises and whispers of paradise.

When he felt his chest begging for a breath, he inhaled sharply, feeling the blood rush to his member at the same time as his jaw hardened and his fist clenched.

'Caleo picked them out himself.' the girl's voice echoed in his mind.

"No." Kylo growled.

Rey blinked at him, her eyes dark and body stiff, telling him she didn't like it either.

"It's not my cho-" she began, her tone bored and annoyed.

"No." He said again, severely struggling to keep his eyes on her face and focus his breathing. She looked far too good in this, and the idea of others seeing the hint of so much skin made jealousy rush through his veins.

'How would he possible be able to keep up with tonight's plan with her looking like this?' His mind reprimanded, of who, he was not sure.

Rey's eyes narrowed into a cold glare as her arms crossed over her chest. "This was not my idea. He's trying to keep me in place and embarrass me. If you don't kill him, I sure as hell will." she grumbled.

Now that she was facing him, she got a really good look at him dressed in the suit, not surprised that it was still in the usual black he always wore, but it was a suit none the less, and he looked absolutely amazing in his brute, dark way.

The way his gaze drifted down her face, to her neck, her chest, and further, made her stomach warm. 'To be desired...' she thought. 'So, he did like it after all...'.

"It's only for tonight..." Rey assured him, casting her gaze down before flickering back up to him, her long lashes fluttering as she trapped him there.

Again, he froze, and his pants grew painfully tighter.

With a sigh, Rey slowly approached him, placing a palm over his hammering heart before both of her arms circled him, pressing her ear against his chest.

His strong arms only hesitated for a moment, still getting used to such affection, though his embrace was tight and warm while his hands trailed along the snug fit of the dress at her hips.

They stood there in each other's arms, basking in the calm before the storm, knowing it was quickly approaching.

"Everything will be okay, right?" she asked, breaking the long silence.

Kylo's arms tightened around her, a nervous feeling welling up in the pit of his stomach before he harshly pushed it away. "Yes. Trust me." He reminded her. "Just trust me..."

( X )

The ceremony itself was quiet, the large room was filled with people and creatures from the farthest and closest planets. Rey had wondered how a single person could have enough time to know this amount of people in one lifetime, let alone invite them all to their wedding.

As she sat down at the long dinner table at the reception, she was quickly reminded that it was all politics and business in the end, watching as people openly discussed trades and sales. People threw around the name of the Resistance and First Order in hopes of benefiting their deals, taking pleasure in the needs of war to make a quick dollar.

It made Rey sick as a plate was set before her, possibly even more sick than how everyone had eyeballed her dress and date. Whispers were heard all around, some admiring and some were pure hatred, astonished that'd she both wear such a thing and also step out with the marked traitor, the would-be Supreme Leader.

A quick look from Kylo made them all quiet and cast their gazes elsewhere.

Kylo Ren sat across the table from her, something that neither expected, but both were not surprised. With a set up like this, they wouldn't be able to have their own hushed conversation, unless they spoke to each other's minds.

Rey took note of the large amount of energy harnessing devices around the room, worn by nearly every person that attended. With such a high volume, it'd take a substantial amount of energy just to speak to Kylo's mind, and the fact alone made Rey's jaw clench painfully.

Knowing that he noticed this too, Rey glanced towards him, seeing that his face was tense.

Skillfully, Rey brushed the tip of her pointed shoe against his shin, taking care to nudge him carefully, and tease him with the long stroke against his leg.

His eyes immediately shot to hers, narrowing to warn her away, though his cheeks began to redden with a small blush that melted Rey's heart and tugged a smile at her lips.

Looking down to her plate, Rey glanced to the person sitting beside her to see that he was using the smaller fork. Moving to grasp her own, she paused, looking at her food, knowing that she could save so much time by just simply plucking the bits off her plate and eating it that way...

Flicking her gaze up to Kylo, she saw he was watching her as he took a drink of water, his eyes testing her to see if she would act out and use her hands or not.

For a second, he glared at her, and she mischievously grinned at him before she began to stab at her food with the utensil.

As the reception hall began to quiet while the guests ate their food, Rey couldn't help but think of her friends, and the wedding of Finn and Rose. It was so different than this one, and her friend's party seemed a lot livelier, more intimate.

The people here only attended this for business...

For war.

Setting her fork down, Rey chewed her food silently as her nerves began to work themselves up again, full with anticipation of the unknown, unsure of what to expect of tonight, or when.

She could only hope that Hidiya would show up with her weapon, and that DJ would still be able to deactivate all of the devices that blocked her and Kylo from using the force to their advantage.

From across the table, Kylo watched her face grow lost in thought, her mouth frowning and brows drawing together. Paired with the makeup, it made her look even more seductively intimidating.

Kylo cleared his throat loud enough to pull her from her own mind, as she blinked up at him as a waiter approached the table, placing down large chalices of alcohol.

Rey was just going to refuse it when Kylo interjected. "Drink it. It'll help."

Rey began to shake her head at him. "I have before, it will-"

"It will be controlled. And may help with your nerves." he stated, low enough to come across as a whisper and a threat.

Rey inhaled, giving a single nod as she grasped the neck of her drink and took a sip, savoring the tart, fruity taste. Her eyes remained on Kylo, studying him.

"You aren't going to drink any?" she asked, taking another sip. Her cheeks warmed as the drink did its magic.

"No. I'm not the one who's nervous." He said, a small hint of playfulness in his tone.

"I'm not-" Rey began, rolling her eyes. She quickly stopped when he narrowed his eyes at her, causing her to sit back against her chair and giving him more of a view of her dress.

His gaze shot down instantly, and right back to her face, already trying to recover from the distraction of her tempting skin behind the sheer cloth.

At this, Rey snickered, forcing a scowl from Kylo.

She was about to chuckle at him, already feeling the effects of the drink, but she abruptly stopped when Lando showed up behind Kylo, clasping a dark hand to his shoulder.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite nephew." He teased. Kylo tried his best not to roll his eyes as he stood and turned to face him. He continued, "And Rey, you're looking just as beautiful as ever."

Lando bowed towards Rey, and Rey couldn't help but let out a small giggle as her cheeks flushed. Kylo glanced at her, annoyed, but did not say anything.

"Don't let her bashfulness go to your ego. She barely started on her drink." Kylo declared, straightening his attire as he looked around the room.

More and more people began to move away from the dinner tables, getting up to either dance or mingle, talking about trades and such he was sure.

The amount of people currently around him made Kylo weary. He was more than sure that not a single one would dare make any sudden move to him or to Rey, but he was still on edge nonetheless.

Thankfully, their table was secluded, and for once, he was thankful for his family's rank.

To his front, Lando continued talking, seemingly to pass the time and appear busy to the other guests, in hopes that nobody would come and try to strike up a conversation. Kylo simply was not in the mood for it.

As their mindless conversation carried on, Kylo noticed Rey continuing to sip at her drink from the corner of his eye, fumbling around with the straps across her dress, attempting to close the spaces where her skin peeked through.

He struggled to hide the way his lip twitched with a smile.

From the table, Rey carried on watching as couples here and there awkwardly danced, remembering the only two moments when she had shared such an act. Sighing, Rey glanced around, her eyes growing bored as her finger tapped along the neck of her chalice.

He was right, her nerves were waning, and she began to curse herself for letting it happen so fast.

Setting her cup back down on the table, her eyes settled down on a man dressed in long gold robes across the room, realizing too late that she was now meeting the look of Caleo.

The man grinned at her, raising his cup and nodding to her as he took a large swig and turned his attention back to the woman at his side.

Rey scowled at him, quickly turning her gaze back to her cup. Biting her lip, she brought it to her mouth once more and took a drink as her gaze landed on the tall, brooding man in front of her.

Kylo was still sharing in conversation with Lando, seemingly speaking about a flock of ships? Rey couldn't be sure. She was much too distracted by the way his brows creased when he heard something of interest, or how his eyes would narrow just barely when something humored him, denying any chance at a smile or a laugh.

With another sip, she crossed her legs while admiring his pale skin, warming at the sight of his pouty mouth moving and setting. His chin would rise in the air, and his wavy, black hair would move with him.

With every movement, the scar along his cheek stood out proudly for her attention, and as her lazy, hooded gaze trailed along the scar, his mouth moved as he spoke, capturing her eyes once more.

Shamelessly, she thought of the time his mouth had been on her most private parts, devouring her at her core and drawing her pleasure out with such ease. Rey's entire body began to warm, her thighs uncomfortably moving together to readjust in her seat.

She wondered if he felt the same desire she did, if it felt the same for him as it did for her, and like a moth to a flame, her mind was dragged to an idea that at first seemed so strange that she nearly brushed it away, until her curiosity begged for it back.

'Is that even allowed?' she innocently wondered to herself, her eyes slowly tailing down his long, muscular body before tracing over the part of him she wanted.

Her tongue moved along the inside of her cheek at the thought, trying to see if there was any way he'd even fit-

Kylo nearly choked on the sip of water he was drinking, trying his best to quickly focus on his breathing as he gulped and coughed into his fist, his face burning with heat at Rey's projected thoughts.

Lando slapped a hard hand to his back and carried on with what he was saying while Kylo tried his damned hardest to quiet his stuttering heartbeat.

Looking around the room, his eyes were pulled to Rey, who was stuck in a dream-like trance as she made no move to hide her stare that was aimed directly at his lower half.

Mindlessly, his hand gripped his glass even harder as he cleared his throat, his jaw tensing.

Kylo quickly excused himself from Lando and made his way around the table, Rey's curious and lazy gaze following him, peering up at his own eyes once he was at her side.

Rey gave a cheeky smile, and before making any other move, Kylo set his glass down next to hers, and took her chalice, lifting it to his nose.

Cursing, Kylo said, "Corellian wine. I should have known."

Her brow quirked at him. "What's that mean?" she asked, slowly blinking at him with her smile still wide on her face.

"The strongest wine available. Come on, you need to walk it off." He declared, grasping her arm and hauling Rey to her feet, exposing more of her dress.

It only made matters worse for his hardened member that he tried not to think about as he led Rey across the hall and beyond the exit door that seemed to be blocked off by large, dark curtains.

Brushing past them, he let Rey take the lead to the empty balcony, illuminated by the moon and stars above them as the reception went on inside.

"Is this part of yours and Lando's plan?" Rey giggled, kicking her shoes off. "Damned things. Who in the stars can wear these shoes and not get irritated immediately?" she grumbled to herself.

Kylo sharply exhaled at her. "Rey, you've barely had half a cup." he mumbled. "You were projecting, you know. You pushed past all of the devices in that room. You can't waste your energy like that."

Rey's brows slowly creased as she watched him, leaning against the wide, stoned railing of the balcony opposite of him. For a moment, she couldn't remember what she had been thinking of when she'd been projecting, until she noticed his red cheeks.

It made her smile widen at the realization.

"I didn't mean to." She admitted, the fresh air ever so slowly clearing the foggy intoxication in her mind. Shyly, she glanced down as she gathered the courage to voice her next question. "Is... Is that appealing to you?"

Rey's eyes flickered up to his face to catch his expression. His eyes were wide and focused, his mouth tight as he studied her. From the rise and fall of his chest, she could tell he was breathing hard as his eyes fell to her lips and back to her gaze, hunger written all over his face.

Deep down, she knew this was not the time for such acts or discussions... But she truly had no idea how the events of tonight would roll out, and if this were to be the last time they would be together for a while, she wanted it desperately.

Glancing behind his tall frame, she made sure there were no witnesses as she sauntered over to Kylo, who was stiff and cautious, reminding her of their time in the elevator.

Biting her bottom lip, Rey silently thanked the stars for the courage the drink had given her as she placed her open palms to his chest, feeling his heart beating at a rapid pace. At this, she smiled and ran her hands up his chest, circling to the back of his neck.

Their eyes met, and without thinking of it, Kylo lowered his head to hers, his lips taking hers and enveloping her in a warm, slow kiss that grew sweeter by the second.

With her body pressed hard against his, she had her answer to the question she asked earlier, that yes, the idea of his member in her mouth did indeed appeal to him...

Breaking their kiss, Rey smiled as she moved to step away, but was quickly stilled by his grip on her hip, holding her in place as he eyed her with a hooded, lustful gaze.

"Rey... You don't need to do th-" He began.

Her smile widened. "I'd like to at least try...I like it when you use your mouth on me... Maybe you'll like it too..."

For the second time that day, his brain short circuited, tripping and stuttering over his own thoughts as he leaned back against the stoned rail, while she stepped away and knelt before him.

( X )

Author's Notes:

Woo!

I'm sorry for the delay in posting, work was hectic but I'm back to my regular posting schedule! This chapter was a decent sized one I'd say, but I didn't want to overwhelm you guys with an extremely long one.

At least you all know what's happening in the next chapter... *Sips tea*

As always, thank you for reading and please, please review. 3 More action and more sexiness coming up!


	61. Chapter 61

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT AHEAD.**

For the second time that day, his brain short circuited, tripping and stuttering over his own thoughts as he leaned back against the stoned rail, while she stepped away and knelt before him.

The act itself was not new to Kylo's mind, having seen a couple holovideos of pornography in his younger years. He couldn't admit, that even then, the idea was not enticing.

But here, with Rey, seeing her so eager and curious when it came to giving him pleasure...

His heartbeat quickened.

The next moment, it froze, feeling her slim fingers at his waistband.

Kylo's mouth went dry, forming into a thin line as he gulped hard, his hands looking for something to hold onto, deciding best to grip the railing behind him. His eyes flew around their surroundings, daring something or someone to interrupt this moment.

With his cheeks burning, his jaw just as tight as his grip on the rail, Kylo slowly looked down to the woman on her knees before him, her eyes focused as she began to tug his pants lower and lower, watching with dark, lustful eyes as she sprung him free, a small, shy smile appearing on her lips.

Again, his heart picked up the pace as his body grew hot, his abdomen clenching with anticipation.

At his nervous and hungry state, Rey smiled as she let the remainder of the alcohol take over her own nerves throughout her system, thankful that it worked out so well and so fast at calming her down and giving her such a playful thrill.

On a night like this, she was surely grateful for it.

Carefully, Rey moved to grip his shaft in her hand, giving him one long, slow stroke to the base, marveling in the shudder that escaped from him, along with shaky breath. His abdomen lightly heaved, trying to conceal the reactions that Rey was drawing from him.

She'd hardly gotten a chance to learn this part of his body, a few quick, shy touches here and there were the most she'd achieved, and now that this part of him stood firm and proud in her hand, she couldn't help but take a moment to admire him.

Her slim fingers looked even smaller as she held him, her tanned skin was no comparison to the color of his flesh here, appearing red at the tip, eager and pleading as it throbbed. Subconsciously, Rey's tongue darted between her dry lips as her eyes lit up, watching the head of his member throb with the same anticipation that fluttered through her abdomen.

Still awestruck, Kylo watched as Rey carefully stroked him once more, pressing her thumb on the underside of his member as she glided along to the tip, studying him with wide playful eyes as a drop of pre-cum appeared.

Again, a small smile dimpled her cheeks, and just as Kylo inhaled sharply, gathering whatever air he could to tell her she did not need to do this, he froze as Rey moved forward, pressing a long, soft kiss to his member, glossing her lips with the clear fluid.

Kylo worked to suppress a groan, his teeth clenching while his breathing grew heavier, watching her as she watched him. Her tongue skimmed across her lower lip, tasting the man she left quivering before her, her own teeth grazing her lip as she savored him.

Her pleasure at the salty taste of him flew through their bond, and for a moment, Kylo was nearly dragged out from the scene before him as he focused on the fact that he could feel her so vibrantly now, as if the devices went mute, allowing the force around them to breathe.

However, Kylo was quickly brought back to Rey when he felt her hot breath on his shaft, her small, pink mouth opening to take in the head of him, working her tongue around to decide where to lay.

With her mouth on him, he shuddered as his head fell back, a small moan leaving his lips and falling into the sky above them. The sound alone encouraged Rey even more, glancing up to see his scarred, handsome features turned upwards. When she cast her eyes back down to the part of him in her mouth, she noticed his hands that gripped at the railing behind him, his knuckles turning white from his hold while feeling out the new experience.

Still, she made no further move, popping the head of him out of her mouth to lay another kiss on the side of it, her tongue trailing back over the part that leaked only a moment ago.

Above her, she heard him audibly gulp, a small shift in his hips pushing him further into her palm that held him.

Briefly, Rey wondered what people would think... To see the Supreme Leader of the First Order crumbling before her...

He gave a single, hard thrust into her hand, his head shooting to look down at her with a glare, though his eyes were still dark and lustful.

"You're projecting..." he hissed, his chest rising and falling with each large breath.

Rey smiled, heat rising to her cheeks. Kylo moved to thrust again, to urge her on now that she was aware, however Rey gripped him tighter, though not too tight. Just enough to for his own heat to spike, and across their bond, she could see clearly that he liked it.

Her thumb moved to circle the head of his shaft, finding the spot that made him jerk and go breathless.

"You only need to say one word..." she muttered teasingly, continuing the torment.

Finally, the bell in his mind rang loud as he recalled the little game they had been playing for the past few days since the last time he took her.

'I'll beg you to stop when you beg me to start.' her voice echoed at the memory.

Seeing what he was thinking, Rey smiled as she leaned forward, looking up to meet his hooded glare as his member softly brushed against her pink cheek.

Seeing her this way, playful and eager, and feeling her excitement through their bond that seemed to light up more than ever, Kylo could actively feel the change in him as he slowly let go of the control he demanded to have, his jaw clenching and unclenching with the struggle.

Only this woman could make such a mess of him... His queen...His Jedi... His scavenger...

His Rey.

As the moment lengthened with silence, Rey watched him with her own glazy eyes as she waited, her mouth salivating and her core pulsating. She wanted this just as much as he did...

Right when Rey had thought she lost this one, his voice, usually deep and commanding, gave a soft, honest plea that reminded her of the time when he'd asked her to join him, though this time, the reason for why he was so breathless, made her body warm.

"Please..." the word escaped from his plump lips, and with a glance from his member to his face, Rey saw his cheeks redden even more as the breeze from the wind moved his hair around, exposing his red ears, too.

Rey debated telling him that one plea was not enough, however her own curiosity beckoned her forward as she again moved to his shaft, pressing her tongue against the base of him and moving along the side of him before taking him into her mouth.

The fit was rather tight, which was expected since she knew he was a large man, and for a quick moment, she wondered if maybe he didn't like it, but the more she took in, the louder the groan it brought forth.

Experimenting, and still unsure of herself, Rey moved her head back and forth tentatively, watching his face to see what he liked most, discovering that he responded most when she used her tongue to circle his head and suck harder than she thought she should.

With every wet, long suck, his body trembled from the pleasure, every nerve throughout his large body awakening and eager for her next move, his body growing hot and prickled with a tingly sensation that was beginning to stack.

Aware that he was still gripping the rail behind him, Kylo forced himself to relax his hands as his eyes finally opened to meet the stars above them, marveling in the feeling of Rey's mouth bobbing back and forth on his most private member that seemed to be made specifically for this moment.

She enveloped him in her mouth, and just like the scavenger she was, she refused to leave any part of him behind as her hand moved along the base of him, gripping and releasing his flesh while her other hand crept beneath his shirt, her palm flat against his abs as she worked for his pleasure.

His mind refused to think of anything else, to say anything else but her name, completely intoxicated by the scent of her need, and the wind in her hair. Slowly moving to meet her eyes, Kylo was forced to practice self-control at the site of her now, refusing for this moment to be over too soon.

As the wind began to pick up, her hair moved across her cheek, and without thinking of it, Kylo's hand moved to softly brush it back behind her ear.

At the gentle touch, Rey glanced up, her lashes fluttering up seductively as she continued tasting and lapping at him, sucking the torn soul from Kylo.

He'd never know how to put it into words, but in this moment, he'd never found her more beautiful.

Slowly, his hand disappeared into her hair, his gentle caress massaging her scalp as Rey's hair twirled around his fingers, eliciting a low moan from her, vibrating right onto Kylo's shaft.

He instantly stilled while his fingers instinctively curled, gripping her hair, though making sure to not cause her any pain.

In synch, they both closed their eyes as the sensation as Kylo tried his best not to buck forth and spill into her mouth.

With a shaky breath, Kylo allowed himself to enjoy her mouth for just a moment longer before releasing his hold on her hair, moving to place his thumb at her chin, and the rest of his hand along her neck.

She looked at him confused, and he glanced down to her swollen lips as she let him go. Slowly, Rey watched from her knees as he bent to her, capturing her mouth in a slow, but demanding kiss, feeling no shame from Kylo as he tasted himself on her lips.

She shivered as his fingers trailed down her arm and behind her elbow, standing her up.

Blushing into the kiss, she felt his hard member against her abdomen, and moved to grip it once more, though his large, calloused hands caught her before she met her mark, wrapping around her wrists and stopping any further movement from her.

Both Kylo and Rey's breathing grew heavier by the second, the air around them thick with desire and a raw need that neither could tame. Without hesitating, Kylo began to walk Rey backwards until she met a stone bench off to the side balcony, hidden in small, kept garden.

Kylo pressed another kiss to her lips, and she playfully nipped at him, drawing another wave of heat from him while he pressed her down, forcing her to sit and moving in front of her.

Now, it was Kylo on his knees before her.

Leaning forward, the bridge of his nose skimmed across Rey's jawline, and lower along her neck, his tongue darting out to taste her there. For the briefest moment, she anticipated him biting her there, where her heartbeat pulsed, and the thought alone made her flesh break out into goosebumps.

Without any warning, he released her hands and went for her ankles, tugging her to him so quickly that she had no time to brace herself as she fell back against the cold stone, the back of her dress riding up, along with the front as Kylo's hand began to push it to her waist.

Rey shivered, forcing herself to bite at her own bottom lip as she felt his goal.

His warm lips trailed kisses along her legs, nibbling at the side of her knee, and tasting every inch of her inner thighs, stopping to admire the fact that she had no undergarments on.

With a silent smirk, Kylo's mind acknowledged that only his bonded would do such a thing.

Still, he thanked whatever force and whichever Gods he needed to that she was solely his, and he was forever hers.

From the bench, Rey realized, as she trembled in front of the stars and flowers, that he hadn't even touched her most sacred parts, and already she was quivering before him.

Feeling his smile press into her thighs, so close to the wet folds that would've begged for his touch if they had a voice, she assumed he liked it.

Slowly, Rey's hand moved to reach out to him, to burry deep in his hair and encourage him further, knowing that she couldn't trust her own voice right now, however the moment she moved, his hand caught hers once more and pressed them straight to her the side of her body, transferring just enough force to keep her still.

Rey's breathing hitched, her legs involuntarily beginning to close just to find some relief by rubbing her thighs together, yet Kylo refused.

Her wet center glistening in the moonlight, and Kylo knew right then that the sight would be burned into his mind forever.

Out of patience, his lips kissed her there, a sharp hiss escaping Rey as her hips bucked into him, asking for more. Rey's fingers dug into the side of her thigh, straining against the small force hold he held her with.

Growing more frustrated with how needy she was getting, Rey kicked off her sandals, letting them tumble to the ground as one foot planted softly at his shoulders, inching to the back of his neck and urging him forward.

From the corner of his eye, Kylo watched her movements, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips when he felt her toes press at his hair. He quickly caught her ankle with a firm grip, slowly turning his head to press a kiss at the top of her foot before maneuvering her leg to rest on his shoulder, his other hand holding her at the waist.

Rey's mouth grew dry, her abdomen quivering as she felt a long, slow stroke of his tongue across the slit of her center, tasting her, testing her. Every nerve within her woke up with a sharp jolt, her cheeks growing hot as he planted a final kiss on her folds before his tongue delved into her.

A raw, feral moan escaped from her as she cried out, her eyes shutting tight at the sheer pleasure she received from him.

Rey laid there on the bench, once again in the open view of the stars and moon above as her bonded lapped at her, using his tongue to stroke her inner walls, his plump lips brushing against the sensitive nub beneath her hood.

On his knees, his attention fully on Rey and her pleasure, he found himself lost in her once more, wrapped around Rey in more ways than he'd like to admit. At the sound of her gasps and whimpers, he knew right then that she could ask for absolutely anything, and he'd give her all he had.

The only time he'd ever thought of doing as such was out of fear, with Snoke.

And now, it was out of love and devotion, for Rey.

He felt her strain against his force hold, her heartbeat picking up so vibrantly that he could feel it in his lips as his tongue drew out each moan and tremble.

Always...

Always, he'd want this.

As if she were under a spell, her pleasure and lust took over her body, heating her up and demanding satisfaction, possessed by need and want for her own release as she shivered beneath his tongue.

Her back arched against the cold bench, her arms still tight at her sides as she unhitched, waves of electricity coursing from her head to her toes, a breathless groan erupting from deep within her chest as her muscles strained with her orgasm.

Rey's back fell against the stone bench, her body still quivering as Kylo released his hold on her arms, though she was trembling so much from the aftershock that she was still unable to move them.

His brows drew together as his hunger grew, his member still throbbing with want, trying to reach her before he could handle it himself. Kylo's savored the remnants of Rey that lay across his mouth, licking and biting at his own lip as he took himself in his hand, moving upwards to place a knee on the bench.

Rey's leg fell from his shoulder, her chest still rising and falling quickly as her center pulsated, and without any hesitation, Kylo thrust hard and quick into her, burying himself deep into her core as she shook.

They both gasped at the feel of her slick heat welcoming him as he stretched her, enjoying the last bits of her orgasm as she spasmed around his thick member.

The deep grumble of a moan that erupted from Kylo could have shocked them both if the feel of him inside of Rey hadn't already.

It took all that Kylo had not to release himself right then, the mix of her breathless moans and trembling movements adding to the rush.

From around the corner, two of the guests made their way outside, already drunk from their alcohol as they rambled on about their dealings.

Beneath him, Rey tensed, though her knees still quivered at Kylo's waist. Her lazy arms tried to move to tug her dress down, but Kylo refused and instead pushed deeper into Rey, tightening his muscles painfully to withhold the groan of pleasure.

Rey fell back on the bench with a sharp gasp loud enough to capture the intruder's attention, though it didn't. To avoid any further risk, Kylo's hand flew to Rey's mouth, covering any another moan or gasp that dared escape, yet his ears begged for more.

Her eyes widened at both his hand covering her mouth, and at the sensation of being filled by him, so deep that she was sure she wouldn't be able to speak if she even could.

Glancing down to where they connected, Kylo watched with hooded, lust filled eyes as he moved out of Rey, and back in, slow and confident, hard and commanding. He marveled at how she fit him so well, and how much it felt as though he was made for just this, just for Rey.

The lower half of her tanned, freckled skin still shined beneath the stars while the rest of her body was hidden behind the scraps that were her dress, the outfit itself left him feeling jealous and aching, and he cursed the Gods for it as he throbbed.

Feeling the atmosphere around him, Kylo felt that their guests were still occupied with their company as they strolled to the far end of the balcony, too out of sorts to notice anyone else out here.

Satisfied with that, Kylo continued covering Rey's mouth as he began to move within her, slow, sharp thrusts that almost made him question if he was hurting her, but as he glanced to her face, he saw her reddened cheeks and met her tempting, hooded eyes, both daring and begging him to continue.

Holding Rey's gaze, he pushed hard and deep into her once, and then again, his own eyes rolling shut as she whimpered beneath his hand, her core tightening even more around him. Kylo struggled to breath, refusing to moan or groan his own pleasure, and instead focused on exhaling through his nostrils, pausing his movements within her as he reveled in the feel of Rey.

Her shaky arm moved up, her hand brushing his cheek and going straight into his hair, gripping and pulling to express her own form of love, and a plea for more.

His eyes slowly opened, and again, her voice echoed in the back of his mind.

'... The day I beg you to stop...'

Gulping, and almost snarling, he looked into the eyes of the woman he truly loved as she quivered, her senses still high with aftershock as she watched him with curious, pleading eyes.

He determined that she'd be the death of him, and that, he accepted.

Kylo quickly moved his hand from her mouth and to her neck, keeping her calm while adding just enough pressure to hold her still as his mouth came crashing down on hers, his hips slamming into hers with a frenetic power that both surprised her and pleasured her.

Rey cried out, her gaspy moans swallowed by Kylo's own mouth as he drove into her, thrust after thrust that left her breathless and throbbing.

His teeth caught her lip, sucking and biting, and Rey thought that this is what it felt like to truly be taken, to be claimed as he slammed in and out of her.

To others, she figured it could be scary, or even animalistic, but to Rey, it was absolutely perfect.

She felt wanted, and needed, lusted after as she was torn apart by the only person who could put her back together, her partner and equal in everything.

Rey knew nobody would understand, that nobody ever could.

Together, they worked solely off of that same animalistic instinct to survive, to take what belonged to them. She knew Kylo never claimed her out of hate or jealousy, that this was how he loved, and with every thrust, she welcomed it.

Kylo felt the revelation through their bond, and if anything, it heightened his love and his need to bring them both pleasure in this dark world.

His mouth released hers as he moved to her neck, struggling to find his own voice.

"Mine," He grunted, unable to hid his own trembling as she shook, her hand moving to rest on his shoulder, her nails digging deep into his flesh as the other gripped his hair.

At this, he moaned. "And yours. Always." he breathed. His free arm snaked beneath Rey's waist, lifting her up just slightly, but the new position allowed him to hit a spot within her that made her eyes roll back and arch her body.

Kylo was desperate for more of her, for all of her, that he nearly tore her dress at the seams to expose the rest of her flesh to him, though he stopped as he felt her begin to spasm around his member, pulsating and growing hot as she found her second release.

Forgetting all else, he held her tight against his own body as his hand flew to mouth, covering it just in time as she cried out his name while she came.

Even through her release, he was relentless.

Kylo's heated wave was building, his purpose holding back his own climax as he continued his pleasurable attack, growing breathless as Rey quaked around him, her throaty whimpers filling his ears and going straight to his shaft.

Rey's eyes shut tight as she shook, her heart going crazy within her chest as her climax went in waves and waves, one right after another and giving no room for aftershock alone. The more Kylo kept up his thrusts, the longer it lasted, and Rey knew she couldn't take any more of this, unable to catch her breath as her body heated and her core clenched tight.

Opening her eyes, she winced from pleasure as her orgasm took over them both, and to find some relief to her untouched and sensitive nub, Rey's hand shot down to her folds, rubbing in circular motions as she cried out into Kylo's hand.

Watching as her hand moved, his eyes widened with heat and surprise at her boldness, and a groan filled the air around them as he watched while thrusting into her, his own movements stuttering as she moved.

Rey's body jerked on him, pulling him deeper as she rode out the last of her orgasm, her abs and core sore from the work.

She hated to give up the fight... But deep down, she knew she couldn't take anymore...

'Please...' she whimpered to his mind, her brows furrowed from exhaustion and pleasure.

She felt him gulp as he thrusts barely slowed, sweat rolling down his neck. Rey released her grip from his hair and her touch from her center, moving both arms beneath his and holding him at his back at she peered up at him, still shaking.

Her toes curled in the air behind him, and she struggled not to shake further.

Watching him with dark eyes, she called for his gaze, and darted her tongue out to lap at his fingers covering her mouth, sending him a visual from her mind to his, a memory of her view earlier in the night as he stood there, blushing bright red as she took him in her mouth.

Kylo could only glare at her for the quickest second before his head bent low between her breasts, grunting loudly as he slammed hard, but slow into her, his own release escaping harshly into Rey, crashing and burning in the most delightful way as he shook.

His head felt dizzy as his breathing hitched, his own legs feeling loose and wobbly as he shoved into her further and further, Kylo's hand leaving her mouth and gripped Rey at her bare waist, enjoying the way her flesh felt in his hands as she took all that he gave.

Rey lovingly brushed his hair back as he drove his seed into her, his pleasure seeping across to her through their bond as she gasped for air.

He slowed now, no longer pushing into her, though he held himself there as he struggled to breath, a small whimper leaving him as he felt his spend spill from her.

For a long moment, they stayed there on the bench in the garden, beneath the stars as they stumbled their way back to reality and the party going on inside.

Moving slowly, Kylo withdrew from her, making Rey sigh and her body arch, missing him already.

His forehead was still pressed to her chest, and she continued brushing his hair with her fingers.

"Rey," he began, his voice tight and low. She could feel that he was going to apologize, though for what, she wasn't sure.

She felt that tonight was wonderful, exactly what she wanted, unaware that it was actually what she needed.

Kylo's head moved to meet her gaze, and she shyly smiled at him.

"It was perfect, Ben." she smiled, her core still pulsating from tonight's events. Part of her wished it would never end.

He searched her face for any sign of a lie, satisfied when he found none.

Silently, he agreed, reaching toward her through the bond that seemed more alive than ever.

His bones felt weak, his muscles sore and head throbbing, yet he'd do it all over in a heartbeat if he could. Rey's earlier revelation was true, he decided.

Nobody could understand their want and raw need when it came to one another. Even now, he sometimes couldn't understand it himself, but it was Rey, and it was him, and together nothing else mattered.

With a sigh and a kiss to her chest, he rose on shaky legs and tucked himself back into his pants as Rey watched admiringly.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a handkerchief and used it to clean Rey up, who grunted her displeasure and embarrassment. At this, he smiled, a true smile that was not hidden or sly, or shy and forced.

He smiled truly, and it warmed Rey's heart so much that she forgot all else momentarily, struck by the sight of him. Her heart skipped a beat again that night, tucking the picture of his toothy, imperfect smile far, far away in her mind, somewhere no one else would find it but her.

'A smile all for her own.' she thought as Kylo carefully put her sandals back on, taking his time to care for and dress her.

"The scavenger Jedi can stare a man down as he dresses, can walk around nude with no shame, and can touch herself in ways that would make any man in the galaxy crumble, but she hates to be cleaned up by another?" Kylo teased, gripping her dress and tugging it back down her body as she lay on the bench still, lazy and spent.

At his words, she grinned and chuckled at the truth, watching as he held a hand out to her.

Sighing, Rey grasped it and allowed him to haul her up, though her legs were far too wobbly to stand on at the moment. She stumbled into his chest, and he suppressed his own chuckle, bending low to pick her up bridal style, and sat her in his lap as he took his place on the bench.

Rey's cheeks reddened with embarrassment as she scowled at him, pressing her head to his shoulder.

"Just give me a moment..." She mumbled, tucking her face into his warm neck.

Again, he smiled, though she couldn't see.

"Take all the time you need." He mumbled back, feeling her exhaustion win already.

( X )

Author's Notes:

I am SO sorry for the week absence, however I was celebrating my birthday! To make up for it, I thought I'd make this chapter a little extra longer and steamier... Hope you like it :D

Nothing but action in the next one, stay tuned, and please leave me some love? 3


	62. Chapter 62

"Rey..." Kylo spoke softly, his thumb rubbing gentle circles at her hip as he held her on his lap. He thought after a few minutes of rest that it would be better to return to the wedding sooner rather than later.

Though, he was very grateful for the distraction, the pleasurable ache in his member ringing with memories since the moment Rey took her sip of wine.

The corner of Kylo's mouth drifted upwards.

"Mmmm..." Rey murmured against his chest. He glanced down to see her reddened cheeks and closed eyes, taking a longer moment to admire her glow.

"We have to get back..." Kylo murmured back, his lips at the top of her head as he inhaled her scent.

His brain began to return to reality, his mind still groggy with desire, refusing to give in. Deep down however, he knew it was best that they get back. In only a short amount of time, either everything can go their way, or their world could be turned upside down.

Mindlessly, his hand gripped at Rey, holding her closer to him.

"Ben?" Rey woke, sighing heavily as she nestled deeper into the crook of his neck.

Kylo swallowed hard, his jaw tightening with tension while his mind started the race it had begun since arriving on Naboo.

There was no way around the events that would play out tonight.

Lines would be drawn...

"We need to get back before any one notices our absence." Kylo softly urged, his brow creasing.

Hearing the change of tone in his voice, Rey's eyes slowly opened, glancing around the balcony as if it were the first time, taking in her dark surroundings while Kylo held her close.

Her eyes moved upwards to his face, seeing that his expression was beginning to look stressed. Unsure of what to do, Rey moved her hand to his cheek, allowing her thumb to stroke the scar she had branded him with.

At the sensation her touch caused, he blinked rapidly, his eyes never meeting hers as Kylo focused on breathing.

"Everything will be okay." Rey assured him quietly, studying his face. Her hand tugged his chin down to look at her, softly at first, and when he didn't budge, her grip moved to his hair, again tugging downwards until his eyes met hers.

For a long moment, neither of them said a word, instead they simply stared at one another as Rey's calming energy swirled itself around their atmosphere.

Just then, it dawned on Rey that the energy, along with the Force, was slowly back to its steady rhythm throughout her veins, soaking her senses and feeling as though she had awoken from a very long slumber.

Rey's eyes widened, wondering if Kylo had felt the same, and from the slight twinge of his eyebrow, she assumed he did.

Did that mean DJ helped after all? She couldn't be sure, and in this moment, she didn't care enough to wonder any further than she did.

Together, they sighed with relief.

Kylo's energy reached for her, and she met him as his forehead fell down to rest on hers, their minds meshing together into one, welcoming the other back.

However, feeling his block still active with his thoughts, Rey frowned, tugging his hair once more and caught sight of a very small smile from Kylo.

Sighing, Kylo moved to stand Rey up on wobbly legs, hearing her chuckle as she balanced herself.

"Such a shame that the force doesn't help with that..." Rey muttered, earning a smirk and a blush from her bonded as he stood before her.

With a smile, Rey looked up at him, watching as his brow quirked while a flash of lust appeared in his eyes.

Blushing, Rey glanced down and caught his hand, entwining their fingers while her other hand brushed away any dust and dirt from her dress.

"Let's go, I suppose." Rey said. She met his eyes once more, any trace of amusement washing from their face.

Silently, Kylo gave her a quick, single reassuring nod, which she returned.

Together, they made their way back to the party, music and chit chat filling the air. They were slowly walking to their previous seats when Lando strolled up with a grin on his face, his long cape swinging behind him.

"Rey of Jakku! Dance with me?" He exclaimed, already offering his hand.

Kylo began to protest, his own hand holding Rey's tighter, though he was quickly cut off as Lando glanced to him, giving him his own nod.

Rey noticed Kylo return it before placing her hand in Lando's. "I'll be back shortly." Kylo said, glancing to Rey.

Before leaving, Kylo hesitated in their presence, as if he was going to grab Rey and haul her along with him to wherever he was going.

Rey was just about to question him when Kylo turned quickly and left the dining hall, leaving Lando to lead her to the dance floor as a slow, classical sounding song came on.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Rey huffed as she tried her best to remember her stance when dancing, thankful when Lando took the lead.

Rey glanced at him sheepishly, smiling when he did before she looked away.

To Rey, he seemed like such a nice man. Confident and kind, sure of himself. Even just as much of a charmer as Han was.

In the back of her mind, she wondered if he played a big role in Kylo's life.

"What is it, little one?" Lando asked, catching Rey's attention once more.

Rey glanced at him again, trying to form her thoughts into words. She felt like she could trust him easily, Kylo sure seemed to.

With a soft sigh, Rey spoke. "I just... You make it seem easy. I wonder how?"

Lando remained quiet as he looked at her, continuing to lazily lead their dance. "Unless you're speaking of my dancing skills, I must assume you're speaking about Ben?" He offered softly.

It was still something to get used to, having someone else refer to Kylo by his true name.

Rey glanced away, and right back to Lando with an unsteady nod.

Lando sighed as he looked off, his chin rising in the air.

He stayed silent for so long that Rey thought he wouldn't answer, figuring that maybe it wasn't as easy as she had believed. Right when she was going to attempt at making conversation about the wedding ceremony, he spoke up.

"It's not easy at all." Finally, his gaze moved back to Rey, and she noticed his eyes begin to get glossy. "Han was my brother. He was my family, through and through, even when I wasn't the best of people to him."

Lando cleared his throat before he continued, and Rey felt her own heart clench at the sight, though she felt that she needed to hear this, to reassure herself and to prepare for whatever may come.

His tone grew quieter as he spoke, trying to smile through his words. "Han was always full of life, looking for the next adventure and forgetting the last. I've never seen that man carry any regret, no matter where he was. But one thing that stuck with him, was how he left his son behind. Leia and him, they loved each other across many, many stars, yet they were so different from one another. They wanted different things, and they had their own fears."

To think that Leia and Han were afraid of anything baffled Rey, and her own eyes began to tear as she realized who fell victim to that.

Lando went on, "Eventually, their fear blinded them, Ben got caught up in it, and Snoke latched onto that. At the end of everything, all Han and Leia wanted was their son back, to make it right, to love him and have him home."

Rey watched him with sadness in her eyes and heart, remembering how Han died, still reaching for his son, his words comforting him as he tried to save him.

"But, it's still not easy for you, is it?" Rey quietly asked.

Lando shook his head as he watched her. "No. It won't ever be easy, however it's what Han would have wanted, what he died for. There is light in Ben, I see it. But he will always be at the hands of danger for who he is, for whose son he is. No matter what the outcome of this war is, there will always be another war after it. Though it may be small, there will always be one. What's to happen when it calls for Ben's allegiance?"

Immediately, a sharp spike of protectiveness over Kylo shot through Rey as she answered. "He's stronger than that. He's defeated Snoke, and he's more than just someone's son, more than just an oath of loyalty and a strong blade. He's worth it."

A grin stretched on Lando's face, taking Rey back as they swayed to the music. "And that's what Han fought so harshly for. That's why Leia wants him home. That's why I'm still here, and why he's earned a place in your heart, Jedi."

Rey understood then, the underlying meaning of his test. This was Lando's way of both answering her questions, and feeling her out himself.

For some odd reason, it made Rey like him even more, knowing that he was testing her for Ben's sake.

After thinking on this some more, Rey held his gaze as their emotions steadied out. "Why the secrecy for tonight? Whatever you have planned with Ben, will you both be safe?"

Lando displayed a lopsided grin. "Always, darlin'."

Feeling an odd sensation reach her, Rey glanced behind her shoulder to see Caleo approaching, silently thanking the force for coming back to her, even though it was only a little bit.

Scowling, Rey turned to Lando, who could only offer a shrug of sorrow, knowing what was happening next.

"Lando Calrissian! Thank you for joining us all on this evening." Caleo smiled, though it never reached his eyes. Lando smiled back to him with a quick nod. Motioning to the pair, Caleo continued, "You don't mind, do you?" he asked, offering his hand to Rey.

"Seems like a question for the lady." Lando said with a smile, yet he still let go of Rey's hand as he bowed out, giving a hopeless look to Rey before he turned to grab a drink and walk off.

With a huff, Rey glanced back to Caleo, who was still waiting with his hand stretched out.

When she begrudgingly placed her hand in his, he gave a quick, hard yank so that she fell to him as he led the dance.

"So," Caleo began, looking at everything but Rey, who did the same. "have you given any thought to my proposition?"

Rey's eyes flew to his face, debating on using the force to push into his mind, though she decided against it, afraid that he would feel the intrusion and cause a riot.

Feeling her anger spike at him, and some at Kylo for disappearing after such a wonderful time in the garden that still left her flesh hot, Rey ignored Caleo, instead she clumsily hummed along with the music, which made him roll his eyes.

"So be it. There are only minutes left until his time is up. He either rules with his open consent to use the devices, or he will gain no allies from Naboo."

Rey glared up at him. "And why is that you want to leave so badly? It can't be out of pure laziness." Watching his face, Rey called him on it just as she did to Kylo when he had interrogated her. "No. You're afraid of something... Or someone. Isn't that-" Rey's words trailed off as she noticed DJ in the back corner of the large dining hall, watching him intently with wide eyes as he glanced around, meeting her eyes. He gave a brief nod before he rounded the corner hastily, just as Hidiya entered.

The girl looked nervous, but she fit in well with the other dressed servants that began to follow in line, all of them holding covered trays of food and placing some down at the dinner tables for their guests, while the others waited for the guests to arrive back before placing the trays down.

Hidiya tried her best to be discreet as she went out of line, moving to Rey's chair as she glanced around.

Caleo noticed her fumble, glancing around to see the food being delivered before he turned back to her. "Once a scavenger, always a scavenger. You'd never want for anything in the galaxy if Kylo Ren chose to rule. I'm sure you're too precious for him to give up, so there's no worry on that."

The music stopped, and Caleo let go of Rey's hand as he was called to the stage by the announcer, applause erupting for their planet's ruler.

Caleo kept his hard, intense stare on Rey. "Convince him, and end this war for everyone."

Rey watched him with her brows furrowed out of anger and curiosity, noticing the way his voice seemed to beg beneath the sentence.

She watched him as he turned and made his way to the stage, and eventually Rey joined the rest of the guests when they all cleared the floor and made their way back to the table.

When she did, she met Hidiya's waiting gaze, giving the girl a small, comforting nod and smile before she sat, Kylo soon joining.

At his presence, Rey's heart began to beat quicker as she contemplated Caleo's offer, and the echo of Lando's words in her mind.

No matter what they chose, a war would always be around the corner, a disagreement blossoming into bloodshed, and in the middle of it all, would stand both her and Kylo.

She couldn't help the questions that beckoned. If Kylo ruled, would there be any hope in sight for peace? Even if it were momentary?

Knowing the consequences, Rey decided against it. Knowing that he'd be forced to give consent for those devices, the ones Vicar used to torture her, knowing the pain and aftermath it held, she couldn't encourage it.

What if there were more force users out there, unaware of their ability just as she had once been? Would they be detained under cruel punishment just because they could use the force? And what was to stop anyone from using it on them?

Biting at her lip, Rey shifted in her seat to face him, lowering her voice.

"Ben-" she began, getting cut up by a quick shake of his head, his eyes intent on Caleo who was speaking into a microphone at the stage.

She tried again. "Ben! We need to get out of here! I have someone that is-"

He exhaled sharply, a sign that Rey was used to when he was getting upset.

With her anger and anxiety rushing through her, Rey refused to back down. "If Caleo asks for your allegiances, you can't give it! The risk is too hi-"

Again, Rey was cut off as she heard the echo of Caleo's words on the speakers.

"... And with that, comes great changes! Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Supreme Leader Kylo Ren!"

Rey's heart froze as her ears rang, her eyes growing wide as Kylo stood from his seat beside her and began to make his way to the stage.

People all around the hall either gasped or applauded, shocked to see the unmasked leader for the first time, unaware that they were in the presence of him, though some seemed to know this and chose to withhold their welcome as they watched him.

Shocked, Rey watched Kylo take his place at the podium as Caleo stood by, purposefully grinning towards Rey as the room quieted down. Her hand flew to the edge of her seat, gripping tightly as her breathing hardened.

Her own mind turned against her in that moment, trying its best to doubt him, to run now before it was too late, cursing herself for coming to this planet with him.

She knew though, that it was just her fight or flight instincts kicking in, quickly working to calm herself down as she tuned back to reality, catching up to what Kylo was saying to the crowd.

"... With that said, my place as Supreme Leader has been questioned, and I have still proven myself endlessly... With guidance from your ruler, Caleo of Naboo, I was given the opportunity to take his place, to help make the planet that lives within my blood an even better home for you all, with the assurance that I continue the usage of the energy harnessing devices."

The crowd began to applaud again, louder this time.

Still, Rey watched Kylo as he nodded to the crowds, a true politician when he needed to be.

He continued, "At this time, I'd like you to stand. Stand if you choose to continue using these machines, stand if you fear the force itself and the effects, stand if you want control over this life and the next, if you want control of this city and this planet."

People began to stand from their seats, voicing their agreement and clapping for him, sharing looks between themselves of their approval.

"Stand now-" In the far distance outside the building, a large crash was heard, only grabbing the attention of a few people, including Rey, though she turned her gaze back to Kylo as her stomach dropped. "Stand if you back my rule, if you agree that any force user besides myself, no matter the size or age, should be held accountable for their powers and the measure they could possibly take."

From the windows, orange and yellow flickers slowly crept in, just as the rest of the crowds stood for Kylo's words, excited and eager for more.

"There is a war raging in every corner of this galaxy. The people in this room benefit from it financially, sitting on the highest peaks of your credits, hidden away from the real problems there."

From behind him, Caleo's grin slowly washed away as he looked towards his guards, who stayed in their place by the doors.

Lando and his guards entered the hall just as Kylo finished. "Stand now, and let it be known who the real enemy is."

Rey glanced around, confused and in awe as she saw every one's face fall from excitement to confusion and worry, just as the servants who stood waiting with their dinner, uncovered the trays to expose their own weaponry and restraints.

With wide eyes, Caleo moved to run away, however Kylo's outstretched hand stopped him with the force, Caleo's eyes going wide as he fell to his knees, and his face growing red.

Kylo went on, not skipping a beat as he looked on over the crowd that was now scrambling for their own weapons, some even falling to the ground with the hands on the back of their heads. "I will allow refuge for those that do not resist, and for those that beg for mercy, you will merely be detained."

Aggravated screams rushed through the air as guests began to fight with the servants, some being arrested and some engaging in a brawl and wrestling for the other's weapons. Dishes clashed to the ground, breaking as rocks and bricks flew through the tall windows, filling the room with more yelling and chanting from the grounds outside.

From the shadows cascading in, Rey could tell there were numerous fires, watching with wide eyes as she stood now. Behind her, Hidiya gasped, her tray still in her hands when Rey stood and turned to her as chaos erupted around her.

Their eyes met, shocked with the events going on.

Wordlessly, Hidiya uncovered her tray to reveal Rey's lightsaber, causing Rey's breath to catch and her own fire beginning to burn within her once she gripped her saber.

People began to rush in and out of the hall, either running for their lives or chasing the other. Rey couldn't be sure any more. With her eyes still wide, Rey turned back around to Kylo while Hidiya quickly left.

On the stage, Kylo looked down to Caleo as he spoke the last of his speech. "And for those who wish to fight back, may your death be quick."

Gulping hard, Rey watched Caleo as he took his final breath before the flick of Kylo's hand sent him into darkness.

In that same moment, his saber ignited as Caleo's guards flooded the room, circling Kylo and some of the servants. To Rey's astonishment, the servant's seemed protective of Kylo, and it allowed her to take a deep breath before she looked down to her dress, gripping the side of it and ripping it at her knees, kicking her shoes off, too.

With better movement, Rey confidently ignited her own lightsaber, the thrill of the harsh hum vibrating through her bones as a few people bumped into her, unaware that Lando and two of his guards approached her.

Surprising her, his laugh boomed in her ear. "This is gonna be a good time!" was all he said before he turned, catching one of Caleo's guards in the abdomen with his blaster.

Her brow raised as she caught a quick glimpse of him continuing his fire before she looked back at Kylo.

The room was beginning to empty as some of the servant's detained and escorted guests out, though some bodies were on the ground, dead, Rey was sure.

An even greater amount of Caleo's guards had shown up however, though they proved to be no match as Kylo's intimidating blade slashed this way and that, taking out whoever dared to threaten his presence.

Lando's guards were in a battle on the opposite side of the hall, engaged in fire with Caleo's people that had managed to bring their own blaster's in.

With her jaw tightening, Rey jumped up onto the table, and ran off the edge, using a small push from the force to extend her out even more as the point of her saber landed into the back of a guard that was surrounding Kylo.

Caught off guard, Kylo whipped around to her, his eyes wide as he watched the guard fall to the ground, her purple saber swinging in the air as she regripped and pushed it into the side of another.

One by one, guests and guards tried to take them down, to cause damage for the embarrassment they suffered through, for the frustration of not having won this fight, for not getting their way. Rey didn't wish to hurt them, but as they flung their weapons and shot their blasters towards her, she had no choice but to protect herself and the man she loved.

Together, they used a mix of their saber and their force to subdue their opponents, their steps so in synch that the movements alone intimidated some of their challengers into forefit.

Again, they both fought side by side to protect the other, never missing an opportunity to guard their bonded as their lightsabers hummed as one, the force flowing around them heavily as the rest of the devices began to dwindle.

Silently, their minds agreed that the force had never felt so strong before.

( X )

It wasn't as bad as the time in Vicar's throne room.

With Kylo's training, Rey had tuned her skills in such a way that the seemed to calm her energy and morph into synchronicity within the force, and with Kylo so nearby, their bond sang loudly, filling them up with fire and tenacity.

Their strengths became one, their strikes matching the other as their powerful swings took out every threat.

There was no second guessing, no doubt whatsoever as they moved and swirled, and their lightsabers doing the same.

Lando and the reminder of his men circled the outside of the small circle that surrounded Rey and Kylo, and the pair stood at each other's backs as they slowly turned to test the next victim.

To Rey's relief, the man she had her eyes set on threw his weapon to the ground with a giant huff and cold glare, moving to his knees in surrender.

Lando's guard went to arrest him, and eventually, the rest of Caleo's men forfeited the fight.

Sweaty, dirty, and suffering from only a few cuts and bruises, Rey and Kylo waited until the last of the guards escorted Caleo's men out of the hall, and only then, did they deactivate their sabers, barely catching their breath as they turned to meet each other's gaze, fully aware now that the city outside was erupting into riots as the freed slaves fought for their lives against the rest of the guards.

After a long moment, Rey blinked up at him, unsure of how she felt.

"What does this mean?" she asked with a small shake of her head.

His adam's apple bobbed as his jaw tensed. "Naboo is free."

Still trying to make sense of it, Rey's brows furrowed, and Kylo continued after a moment of silence.

"The amount of slaves outnumbered the guards Caleo would have given up for an alliance." He breathed heavily, sweat rolling down his temple. "He said he would have pledged his loyalty, to give us the fighters we needed, but it doesn't take the force to know when a man is lying. He was going to keep us here, whether we agreed or not."

Rey's head began to throb as the gears turned in her mind, knowing Caleo was not to be trusted, Kylo confirming it to be true.

"Lando helped, and his guards. They were discreet, some even acting as slaves to get on the inside, to spread the idea of starting their own rebellion. After seeing how they were treated, how they were used, it wasn't hard."

Kylo slowly circled Rey, the flicker of flames from the window's shadowing his face as he stopped to peer down at Rey, timidly, and very, very slowly, reaching for her hand.

Rey's lips barely parted as she watched him, brows still furrowed as she grasped his words.

"I have something to show you." he mumbled, looking nervous and out of place.

Slowly regaining her composure, Rey placed her hand in his and followed as he led her back through the balcony doors, shocked at the view that unfolded before her.

The dark sky of the night gleamed with stars above them, though the buildings throughout the city looked nothing like the way Rey had last seen them.

Flames flickered through the streets, fires pitched at every corner, crowds of people, the most amount of people Rey had ever seen, gathered around the buildings, all chanting and crying with joy as they overtook the rest of Caleo's guards.

From atop the balcony, Rey could see the familiar outfits the slaves had worn under the rule of Caleo, though the device they were once branded with, were either gone or destroyed.

Every street was full, and the air was thick with happiness that flowed from each individual, free at last.

The building across from the suite they were at caught Rey's attention, and Kylo's.

From the top, a large banner rolled down, revealing the words painted in black ink:

"IN PADAME WE RISE,

IN LEIA WE TRUST,

WITH REY WE STAND."

Her skin broke out into goosebumps while her mind began to race at the same pace her heart was.

To see her name with Padame and Leia's overwhelmed her, completely unsure of herself as her stomach began to turn.

How could she ever hold up to their names? A nobody like her...

Cursing herself, tears welled up in her eyes as her insecurities bubbled to the surface in her mind.

'I barely learned to use silverware this past week...I'm nothing... I'm a nobody...'

Below them, the crowds began to gravitate towards them, their grins and eyes lighting up as they peered up at her.

Numerous people pointed upwards followed by hushed whispers, and then louder. "The One! The Grey!" the chanted.

Rey's eyes were brimmed with tears as she took a shaky step back, and Kylo quickly stepped forward to catch her arm, shaking his head to hastily calm her.

"No, Rey. You're someone, you're everything. You're what they need right now."

Kylo moved to stand behind her, holding her hand with his, while his other pushed at her hip to move her forward.

Rey froze mid step, her back pressed against his chest as the crowd whistled and cheered.

"I can't... I don't know how..." she began, tearfully as her heart broke with worry.

"No, Rey... No..." Kylo mumbled, pressing his forehead to the back of her head, inhaling her scent to remind himself to remain sane as his body ached from the fight.

He had worked so hard, even against all that he was taught, all that he believed... He did this for her.

All for her.

"You're strong, Rey... You're brave... Lando has ship's for them... They won't go for me... But they will for you...Be for them what you needed on Jakku... They love you..."

He gulped as he continued his whisper.

"I love you... I love you..." he said, his heart hammering in his chest as he blinked rapidly, his mind freeing his words that his tongue begged to say for so long.

In front of him, Rey's tears tipped over freely as her lip trembled, feeling his words, those three words that she thought she'd never hear from anyone, those three words that she would have sworn would never leave his lips.

To be loved by someone... Someone who encouraged her, and challenged her, who fought for her and beside her...

His hand moved to the back of her neck, trailing downwards over her shoulder and brushing against her arm.

Through his touch, she felt how hopeful and scared he was, finally open to Rey as she breathed him in and read him.

His mind was hers, and he let it be known that he, too, was hers completely.

With a small smile, Rey shut her eyes as she steadily inhaled, letting the force guide her, feeling a small nudge from Kylo.

Taking a step forward, she peered down to the streets filled with people as fire flickered near and far.

The people waited quietly and patiently, eager for her to speak.

Slowly, she took aother step, her voice stuck in her throat as the banner across the way waved in the wind.

Kylo let go of her hand, watching her as she stood there, admiring the way she raised her chin and how she blinked away the tears, feeling an odd sensation course through him from his heart as he looked on at the woman he loved.

He felt different.

He felt stronger than before, as if there was an awakening within himself that the force brought forth, as if he had been welcomed home to a place he had never known, but somehow remembered.

The force thrived and opened to him, calling to the deepest and darkest parts that had assembled Kylo Ren. It was not relief, nor grief that he stumbled upon, but what he did find, was acceptance of himself, for every mistake and for every wrong doing, for every life he took and for every wrong turn he made... He accepted himself.

Forgiving himself would be another matter, but this is who he was... A monster who was making his way back to being a man, a man that could earn his way to a spot besides the queen that stood before him now, though he knew he'd never deserve the spot.

Either way, he'd would die for this woman, a thousand times over in the harshest ways possible.

He'd give his life to protect her.

To protect the light...

In the moonlight above, and the light of the fire below, Ben Solo was reborn.

( X )

It took a few minutes of silence before Rey could even think, let alone speak.

She looked at every person's face, trying to etch them into her memory, in hopes of thanking them personally, to relate to them and to show her respect.

Their smiles and tears reached her heart, and still, the banner waved.

Licking her lips slowly, she tried her best to remember Kylo's words as she looked for the courage to speak to all of them.

Who was the person she needed when she was on Jakku?

Blank faces that would have been her parents flashed through her mind. She didn't know them, but she wanted them.

Or was it the idea of parentage that she so desperately wanted? She wasn't sure.

When she was but a small child within the first year of being left there, she would shiver until her bones ached. And when she was in her early teenage years, she had often went to bed starving for days at a time.

Throughout her years there, she had to fight for her rights, for her space, for her life...

She wanted a home...

And though she could always keep herself safe, when it came down to it, she'd have wanted a protector, someone to watch her back and keep her safe.

With a small smile as she glanced to her feet, she couldn't help but think of Ben at that moment.

He was her home now.

She knew this for a fact, and it terrified her.

And it thrilled her.

Could she be that same security for them? Could she offer any comfort and protection?

Gulping, she looked back to the crowd with a determined gleam in her eyes as she squared her shoulders and spoke loudly.

"You were once chained... Used, worked, and enslaved. Today, you are free!" Her heart begins to run. "Today, you have a choice! You can join the Resistance, and help us free the stars, help us free the peace that begs to bloom just as it has inside of you tonight. Fight for something, fight for a better cause, fight for your true freedom in this galaxy and I will be in your debt from this moment til my last. You will not be owned, and you will not be bought. If you wish to stay, that is your decision, and we will leave you to it." Rey gulped as she looked away, looking for the words, looking for the way she felt when she met Finn, Chewie, Leia, and Poe. Her lips pulled into a small smile as tears brimmed her eyes.

Rey continued, "But, I guarantee you, if you help us, you will have friends, and a home, and you will have pride having been part of bringing freedom to many more out there. Fight by my side, and I will fight by yours."

Silence follows as everyone peers up at Rey, watching her.

Her nerves were shot, tension high as her stomach tightened with anxiety.

In the distance, several ships came into view with bright spotlights scanning the area.

Rey glanced nervously to the ships as they approached, her hand on her lightsaber as she watched them hover, the lights pointed directly at her.

The crowds began to murmur amongst themselves, a slow rumble that worked into a clear chant, so loud that Rey was sure the windows below shook.

Behind her, she felt Lando's presence slowly approach, standing just behind Ben as the chants grew.

"With Rey we stand! With Rey we stand!" They yelled, over and over.

One by one, they bent their knee and bowed their heads to her, their chants continuing throughout the city as their movements followed.

Again, her heart froze as she listened and watched, her eyes slowly moving to the banner waving in the wind, the spotlights from the ships scanning over it and back over the people.

Just then, Rey realized they were media, grabbing this footage to more than likely display it across every holopad and resource available, surely to reach both sides that are First Order and Rebellion.

Still, the chants continued, and Rey slowly turned around just in time to see Lando bend to his knee with a wide grin before bowing his head.

Rey gulped hard as the tears built and her hands shook, her eyes slowly moving up to meet Ben's, who was watching her with such intense admiration that it made her legs weak.

Their eyes never left each other's as he bent his own knee, before bowing his head.

In the next moment, as Rey watched, Ben's head whipped up with wide eyes as he turned his head to look behind him, though no one was prepared for the loud and abrupt explosion that occurred in the building.

( X )

The building was on fire.

Debris lay throughout the hall where Rey had danced with Lando and Caleo just earlier that night. Smoke filled the air as Rey clutched at her ears when the alarms blared to life.

When the explosion hit, Kylo dove for Rey, knocking her to the ground and rolling her away from the building and out of the way of flying stone.

Though Lando took a few hits himself, he was able to escape with only a couple of cuts, and rushed down to help the new members of the Resistance.

The crowds below yelled as chaos ensued, scrambling to find a way to protect their Jedi, who was being escorted inside by Ben, trying to find the safest exit as the fire raged on.

A few people still in the building ran off, and Rey tried her best not to look at the bodies scattered around the hall while she was led out, though a certain energy made her freeze mid-step.

Ben looked at her with his brows furrowed, feeling for the presence that she did.

When she tugged her arm from his grip, he stood in his place as she took a few steps back, timidly moving to the spot where an injured man lay beneath a fallen pillar, bleeding from his temple and mouth.

As Rey approached him with squinted eyes, she recognized the man only a moment later when he grinned a bloody, toothy smile at her.

"DJ." she breathed as she knelt to him.

He coughed up blood as he winced. "Help-p-p a friend-d ouut-t-t?" he struggled.

Rey looked at him, as if for the first time, finally able to place his face since the devices were now disabled.

Her jaw tightened and her eyes grew cold as she looked down at him, her mind already making quick work of his own.

Slowly, she shook her head, and his eyes crinkled.

"T-t-hat's not-t-t the Jedi way."

"I never said I was a Jedi." Rey mumbled, her eyes growing softer with her decision.

"You s-s-said you'd help me, if I helped-d-d you." He challenged, giving a small wiggle in hopes of getting out from beneath the pillar.

Behind the pair, Ben watched quietly.

"You once offered the same deal to my friends."

His brow furrowed as blood trickled from his mouth. Rey quietly continued.

"My friends spoke of a dark haired, stuttering man that was good with sneaking in and out, his persuasion so good that you'd truly believe he was an ally for centuries..." Her gaze pinned him there, more than the pillar did. "You swore to help them actually, before you ousted them to the First Order to save yourself."

Realization slowly struck DJ's face, and his energy spiked so high that Rey nearly flinched as he stuttered out a lie.

"I d-d-didn't know... It-t-t- wasn't me..."

He smiled at her, like a child caught stealing from his elder, a boyish charm that may have worked on so many others, but not Rey.

Never Rey.

As she stared at him blankly, not giving in, his smile fades as his energy falters, his life's light slowly giving out.

"Help me!" He demands, DJ's eyes growing black.

Rey watched him, and again, shakes her head.

DJ tries again while smoke seeps into the area, the fires growing.

Ben shifts from foot to foot, though he doesn't dare disturb Rey right now. He could feel the shift in her energy, the force sticking to her like glue as she struggled to control her emotions.

Still, he watched as she reached for the man's hand, clasping it in between her own.

"Take solace in knowing you will not die alone." she softly soothes, staring him right in the eye.

DJ smiles at her, and a small, broken laugh escapes, though she doesn't return either gesture.

Rey's face is not angry, nor is blank or vengeful.

She truly knew that he would not survive this, and though she expressed her hurt with how he treated her friends, she still held some forgiveness towards the man, even while he was undeserving of it.

DJ's eyes lit up as he stared up into Rey's gaze when she transferred her own light into his life, just as it dwindled into nothing. She watched and sat with him, even cradled his hand as his last breath gave out.

"Thank you..." she spoke to him softly, before folding his arm and placing his hand over his chest.

She moved to stand, and took a moment before to turning to Ben, meeting his eyes briefly though she revealed nothing.

'Yes. A strong, brave warrior indeed.' Ben thought. 'The perfect person to lead this...'

( X )

A few moments later, hundreds of people from the crowds began to move to the docking stations where Lando was coordinating his ships, along with Caleo's, guiding a number of people onto the appropriate dock.

Up above, more ships flew in just as Rey and Ben found their way outside.

Rey was struggling to find the words, her shock still rolling down in waves at the events that played out tonight. She wasn't sure if she should thank Ben, or scold him. But either way, he did it.

He absolutely did it.

She glanced up at him, and he met her eyes as they approached the staircase down to the docks.

"Ben..." she began, but as she looked around, she froze, and noticed that his gaze fell to the ground, again appearing nervous and out of place.

In the distance, she noticed grey and orange ships begin to land, and her brows creased as she tried to focus more, unsure if she was seeing correctly...

"Is... is that a..."

Suddenly, Rey was overcome by a nearby energy, an energy so fresh and vivid, one that she had known so strongly...

Her eyes widened as she turned, just when the voice called out to her.

"Rey?"

Rey's eyes met the eyes of her own trainee, her dearest friend that she had thought to have lost.

"Flora!"

The girls ran to each other, enveloping one another in the tightest of hugs, overwhelmed with the sadness, sorrow and gratefulness.

Their sadness and sorrow met each other for the first time since the loss of Kai, now having been reunited since the battle in Vicar's throne room, their last meeting in Cinnon'Ra.

And here, they joined up once more after the courage that Rey mustered up to help the Rebellion they had fought so hard for, the same Rebellion that they suffered their pain and loss for.

Tears threatened to spill as they held one another tightly, before Chewie roared in the background.

Rey's eyes opened as she turned to face him as he approached, gathering her in his hairy arms and picking her up in a hard hug.

Rey chuckled through her tears as she hugged him back, feeling a sense of peace that she had been longing for since she had last seen her friends.

"Oh, Chewie!" Rey exclaimed as he put her back down and ruffled her hair.

"How did... How did you know I'd be here?" Rey asked with a shake of her head as she glanced from Flora to Chewie.

The pair shared a look as Flora shifted from foot to foot, Chewie shrugged and let Flora tell it with a grumble.

"Kylo Ren reached out to Chewie on an old channel he shared with Han... Guess Chewie still lingers on it from time to time... He said you needed help. For the Resistance. He gave us the coordinates, and a code from Lando to give to Leia. After we spoke with her, she said we can trust them both, oddly. He gave us some more instructions... And here we are. The Falcon's ready for you, the media is already blaring it around the galaxy that you have all of Naboo's support. And the Resistance is waiting for you to come home."

Clearing her throat awkwardly, Flora continued, "It was all him. We have the rest of the ships coming in for escort back to the base... He went underground with it all, nad he did it."

Rey listened.

That's all she could do.

Listen and process...

Her heart swelled with shock and love for Ben...

Ben...

With her lips parted, Rey turned back to Ben, who had shifted away from the trio, though when she looked towards him, Chewie followed her line of sight.

The air grew thick with anticipation as Ben's gaze slowly turned and glanced up to meet Chewie's, and for a long, silent moment, they stared at one another before Chewie took two large steps to Ben, and his hairy hand found its way around Ben's neck, holding him high in the air.

Rey instantly moved to stop them, though Flora's hand reached out and stopped her, her strength matching Rey's immediately, a surprise to Rey.

"Let him." Flora mouthed.

Rey looked at Flora angrily, though her look softened as she watched Chewie hold Ben high, roaring a series of harsh words and scolding's.

Ben's legs flailed as he struggled against the wookie's grip, yet he never fought back.

"I know! I can't take it back." Ben yelled at him. His face grew red as his black hair crowded his face. His voice dropped from seething to an absolute sorrowful plea. "I.. I can't..." he trailed off, repeating the same thing over and over until tears welled up in his eyes.

Chewie slowly let his feet touch the ground, and Ben could barely hold himself together as Chewie gripped the back of Ben's head in his large hand, dragging him to his chest.

Flora and Rey turned to give them their privacy, but Rey still glanced back briefly to see Ben's arms timidly and painfully slowly wrap around the wookie as his shoulders shuddered into a sob.

( X )

Some time later, majority of the new Resistance members had flown out to the rendezvous point, Lando and his team following closely behind.

Walking down the staircase to the docking station, the Millennium Falcon came into view, and a slow grin appeared on Rey's face as she felt the presence of Han Solo in this scenery.

She wondered how he'd feel right now, knowing that Ben did so much to help her and her friends, to help the Resistance. Rey knew Leia must be proud, and she hoped everything would be civil at the very least.

With her eyebrow quirking and grin slowly fading, she wondered what this all meant for Ben, and if he would be joining her back to the base.

With a troubling feeling Rey crossed her arms as she watched Flora walk to the Falcon to prepare for takeoff.

From behind her, she heard Chewie's footsteps approach, turning her head to see him walking to her, Ben right behind him.

Chewie grumbled an apology to Rey, and ruffled her hair once more before going to join Flora.

With a nervous glance, Rey's gaze assessed Ben, seeing his face was back to the usual blank expression, masking his feelings.

His own sights were on the Falcon, his eyes growing dark and cold as he stared with regret.

Noticing this, and feeling this in their bond, Rey reached for his hand, tugging him away from the negativity and bringing his attention back to her.

Ben's eyes slowly trailed towards her, and through their touch, they equally felt their nerves heighten.

"I can't believe you did all of this..." Rey muttered with a shake of her head. "And you didn't tell me anything..."

The corner of his mouth twitched with a smile. "If you knew I was in contact with Chewie and your friend, you would have stopped at nothing to contact them yourself."

Rey smiled, too happy to have her friends back, and her beloved still at her side. "Is that really such a bad thing?"

"You're still training. Whether you like it or not, you're an open book and so are your expressions. The last thing we needed was for Caleo to think you had another plan. He needed to feel your raw dislike for him."

Rey pondered this for a moment, her thumb brushing over the back of his hand as she thought. "But, all of his previous servant's knew..."

This time, Ben smirked. "They knew of a rebellion. They didn't know how it was going to happen. They were too frightened to say anything."

Her sharp gaze flew to his with amusement. "Are you saying I don't know how to hold my tongue?"

Rey watched as his jaw worked, and she could tell he was biting the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling, the motion still unfamiliar to him.

"Something along the lines."

Rey smiled at him shyly before she glanced down, the real question burning a hole in her mind.

"Will you be coming with me?"

Time stood still as the silence fell between them, all playfulness aside. His jaw tensed and her brows grew together, waiting for the answer though she felt she already knew.

Rey continued, "I want you to."

He sighed. "Why?"

It only took her a second to reply. "Because I love you. And I thought you loved me. I can't do this without you." she shook her head.

"Rey... I do love you..." He sighed again, raking a hand through his hair. "The Resistance is no place for me."

"Then don't do it for the Resistance." Rey challenged with a squint of her eyes.

Ben looked down at her, studying her face and testing her mind to see what she felt, how she felt. Their bond was fully open for the first time since being on Naboo, and it was true, she was an open book that he was greedily reading.

He felt the love she had for him, raw and inexperienced, just as his was. Fierce and untamable.

Could he really live a life without her, living through force bonds and waiting for the day that she'd give up her life with her friends?

"You can't do that. You don't get to do this," Rey motioned to the space around them, fires still burning and the banner waving in the distance. "and just walk away. You don't get to tell me you love me and just leave."

Her mouth formed the usual, beautiful frown that seemed so natural to her, and for a moment, he was lost in the conversation until she shoved a palm into is chest, knocking him back to reality.

"Ben Solo, I am not going to ask you to leave with me, though it would make things a lot easier if you just would." She threatened, her fingers twitching at her hip.

His eyes glanced down at the movement, wondering how she'd maneuver his unconscious body if she had put him into a force slumber like he did to her on Takodana.

With a quick glare at her, he stood tall.

What was his plan after all of this? He still didn't know, and though he felt a change within himself, he couldn't make the choice to scramble back to his Mother's side...

"I'll never be part of the Resistance." He affirmed, looking her straight in the eye.

Her own gaze softened as she gave a curt nod.

"I know." And it was true. She did know this, yet she still accepted him.

"They'll detain me, possibly even execute me without trial."

Rey was already shaking her head before he got the sentence out. "No. I'd never allow it. You've made terrible choices, but you've made a great turn with what you've done today, and what you will do to help us take down Hux and his Order."

Rey stepped closer to him, and her hand reached up to lay at his cheek, his hand still in her other.

"Rey-" He began with a defeated sigh, yet she cut him off.

"Ben, if you decided that you absolutely cannot go and help finish this, I wouldn't go. But I'm asking you... No... I'm begging you, not to force me to make that decision. My place is by your side, and yours is at mine. You're not alone..."

Her eyes met his once more, and combined with the soft and loving way she touched him, he couldn't deny her...

He wasn't sure she was telling the truth when she said she wouldn't go, but the fact that she even said it out loud gave him enough comfort to nod his head one single time, not risking the chance of backing out if he used his voice.

Rey smiled at him, and moved to her tiptoes to crash her lips to his, her chest knocking into him as he caught her, deepening the kiss and tasting her, knowing he would never get tired of this.

In the distance, the Falcon started up, and with one last taste, Rey broke the kiss much to Ben's dislike.

As they both took a step back, Rey and Ben felt a distant rumble through the force, eerie and cynical, and though neither mentioned it to the other, it left a quick unsettling feeling in the pits of their stomachs, however they both pushed it away and went back to the task at hand, eager to get away from this place.

Gulping, Rey asked, "Will you miss it at all? This is your grandmother's home..."

Ben turned and glanced around at the remains of the city, still beautiful even with the destruction and the explosion causing more damage than anything, thanks to a troubled dinner guest.

Looking back at Rey, he said the only thing that came to mind, the only thing that remained true. "You're my home. That's all that matters..."

They shared a quick moment, his eyes on hers as their bond heated with admiration and love.

It was time.

With his hand clasped in hers, Rey turned and dragged him along to his Father's ship, soothing and comforting him with her force as his nerves flew with every step they took, closer and closer to the ship he swore to never lay foot in again...

And yet, here he was...

Ben Solo, joining Rey of Jakku – the Grey Jedi, on the Millennium Falcon to head back to the Resistance.

( X )

(Author's Notes):

WHOA MAN!

That was a very long chapter. I'm sorry for the wait, but I really couldn't bring myself to end off on a spot where I was satisfied with, and so the chapter got longer, and the editing dragged on...

BUT

Here we are! Approaching the conclusion of this story... But fret not! We are not there yet lol.

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes and all the love I received for the last chapter! Please let me know what you think of this one, and also...

OMFG THAT TRAILER!

Shameless self promotion:

VirtualReylo on Tumblr – Come say hi and look at my Reylo things!

Tremble for My Beloved – A smut-filled Reylo one shot (Available on WattPad / FanFiction / AO3)

Thank you for reading!


	63. Chapter 63

The ride to the base was tense.

Chewie and Ben seemed to have said what they needed to back on Naboo, though with their emotions still high, tension was still followed.

Rey and Flora talked for a while, catching up with how things were with the Resistance, and how everyone was doing.

Finn and Rose seemed happy, though it was hard to stay that way with the war still surrounding them, and Poe was as busy as ever while he helped Leia try to keep things calm.

With Hux catching them off guard, they were scrambling to for resources, to regain their own composure the best they could as they rallied their allies for the final battle that seemed imminent now.

The girls sat at the table in the lounge, speaking in hushed tones.

"You're scared." Flora stated.

Rey noticed that she didn't ask her if she was, instead she picked right up on the feeling that flitted through her, causing Rey's brow to quirk.

"You're getting stronger..." Rey mentioned with a small, proud smile.

"I do have you as my teacher after all." Flora returned the smile as her head pressed back against the booth.

They looked at one another, tired and satisfied that they were in each other's presence now. They stayed quiet for a moment before Flora spoke.

"Caleo of Naboo... You're sure he's-"

"Saw it with my own eyes." Rey murmured as she replayed that event over in her head.

"And... Snoke? Who killed-"

"He killed him too."

Flora's eyes quickly flickered to Rey's face and watched for a long moment before she slowly nodded her head.

"Is it true?" She whispered, her gaze falling to the floor.

Rey had no idea what she was referring to, though she felt the heaviness in Flora's heart when she continued. "Kai came to me... Like a dream... It felt so real... She said she was laid to rest. That Kylo gave her a resting place, that he took her from the throne room..." Her eyes welled up with tears. "Is that true?"

A wave of grief washed over Rey as she remembered the sight of a shirtless Ben Solo shoveling into the dirt in a bed of flowers on Arrowmada...

Gulping, hoping that she could hold back from spilling the tears that threatened to appear, Rey sadly nodded her confirmation to Flora, who inhaled sharply and nodded back.

A few moments later, Ben appeared after taking some time for himself, still trying to grasp the reality that he was on this ship, and struggled to tame the memories that floated to him.

Awkwardly, he shifted over to the kitchenette, choosing to sit at the stool with his gaze on the ground, and his jaw set sternly.

Watching him, Rey wondered how she could explain all the goodness that he has within him to the Resistance.

( X )

The moment they arrived, the air immediately thickened with tension. Chewie decided to land the Falcon far off from the base, which itself was small to begin with, but the choice allowed them to make a long, quiet hike to the meeting area with Leia, who was anxiously waiting for them.

Only a few people knew of their arrival, most of them on the Falcon already. However, both Poe and Finn knew Rey was coming back soon, though they did not know of the company she kept.

Rey thought it was for the best.

For the remainder of the flight and hike back to the Resistance base, Rey and Ben stayed quiet, only sparing a few glances and brushes of their minds to remind the other of their presence and find comfort in the other's.

With their emotions at an all-time high, it was difficult to focus on anything else as the crew made their way home.

Eventually, Chewie and Flora led them to the back of the base, an old rusted door opening to reveal an empty hangar where Leia waited. The moment the group entered, the General glanced to Rey's face, looking it over with wide, disbelieving eyes before settling on Ben's, who looked at her with a stern, bored look.

Rey hushed his nerves with a press of her mind, and went straight over to Leia, who now watched the girl with her lips parted and open arms. They women embraced one another in a tight hug, and Rey swore for just the slightest moment that the Force sighed.

From behind her, Ben shifted uncomfortably, his eyes casting down to the ground as his jaw tensed with clenched teeth.

Rey noticed the small shine of jealousy that rolled off of him and released her hold on Leia, who's small, fragile hand found Rey's to give a quick squeeze.

Chewie grumbled and roared his greeting, letting Leia know "We got them!".

Leia smiled at the wookie, and then at Flora, adding a quick nod to the girl as she stood off near the exit.

The Princess couldn't help it when her gaze went back to her son, her eyes growing glossy as she watched Rey return to his side, the young Jedi's shoulder nudging into his arm as they shared a quick, knowing look.

Though he was extremely irritable and uncomfortable, her nearby presence seemed to calm him in some way as his jaw lost a sliver of its tension and his eyes softening on her.

Leia watched in awe, though her heart stuttered when Ben looked up and tensed again under his mother's gaze.

"So, what now?" Flora asked, a small attempt at breaking the thick air.

Everyone shifted from foot to foot.

"Well... The Resistance won't be happy about Be-"

Leia was cut off abruptly as the door flew open when Finn, Poe, Rose, and C-3PO ran in.

"Rey!" They all exclaimed unevenly, excitement and joy rolling off of them.

Poe froze in his place, his hand already on his blaster as he spotted who stood next to the Jedi that stole his heart.

Rose was already running up to Rey as Finn noticed too, his own hand flying to Rose's arm to stop her, which caused her to look back at him with a questioning look before returning her gaze back to Rey, and slowly gasping when her eyes traveled to Ben.

C-3PO wobbled over to Leia's side as he greeted Rey with a single wave.

"Lady Rey! Oh, how good it is to have you back! And- Oh. Oh, my! Master Ben! What a wonderful delight! Princess, look who it is-" C-3PO excitedly wobbled around to his mistress, but stopped what he was saying as Leia turned and raised a brow.

"Leia!" Poe exclaimed, his face reddening with rage as he reached to move her behind him. She swatted his hands away and shook her head at him while Finn and Rose took a step back.

Rey's eyes widened slightly as tried to sooth her friend's frenetic emotions with a look.

In the next moment, Poe pulled his blaster our and pointed it directly at Ben, Finn joining with his own dual blasters. Rose's head whipped to Finn.

"Finn!" She exclaimed, turning quickly to Rey with wide eyes. "Rey, what is this! How could you bring him here?"

Poe nodded, glaring at Ben. "He should be in cuffs at the very least."

From her side, Rey felt a wave both amusement and aggression as Ben smirked at Poe, his hand already hovering over his own lightsaber.

Poe's gaze flickered down to the weapon, offering his own smirk. "Try it, Supreme Leader. You'll be shot before you can even think about igniting that thing."

"I'd truly like to see you try, flyboy."

Tension quickly rose to new heights at the traded remarks, and before anyone could stop them, they took two large steps to one another as Poe sheathed his weapon and raised a fist, well on its way to connecting on Ben's jaw.

Before he could land the hit, Ben pushed Poe back with the force, creating a large distance between the two.

Before it could escalate any further, Rey stepped in the middle of them as they charged once more, just as Rey channeled the force on her own, freezing the men where they stood, her outstretched arms keeping the space.

"Enough!" She hissed, turning her hear to glare at Poe, and then back to Ben. "We have bigger problems ahead of us, a problem we will be no match for if we continue trying to kill each other here!"

Poe winced at her with disbelief as he understood what Rey implied just as she released her hold on them. "You can't expect us to work with that monster! Our numbers are low because of him! We've been left with nothing because of him!" Poe yelled.

"Paige..." Rose whispered, the name of her deceased sister ringing in the ears of everyone around her.

Finn nodded, his eyes growing dark and hard as he looked towards Rey. "He's torn apart families. He's killed people, Rey. He's tortured Poe, he nearly killed me! We'll be fine without his help!"

Leia's jaw tensed as she looked over Ben's face, carefully studying each feature as his mistakes and crimes were brought forth.

His facial expression remained blank and stoic, his own eyes dark as he watched the hurt spread across the faces of Rey's friends.

Rey's heart beat fast, each beat louder than the last. The inevitable was here; Her friends were hurt and their feeling of betrayal lay right in the air around them. She desperately wanted to comfort them, to show them that she meant no harm, but she knew by doing so, she could risk hurting Ben.

Silently, she struggled for what to say as everyone in the room turned to look at her.

Thankfully, Leia spoke up first.

"We won't be. Together, they over took Snoke, defeated his guards, Rey tore through Vicar and his guardship, and because of Ben we now have the alliance of Naboo." Leia took a few steps to lean against a rusted, vine covered console. "Our people are n-"

"He killed Han!" Finn shouted with hot, angry tears brimming his eyes.

The comment made Rey's breath hitch, and Leia stood tall, meeting his gaze dead on.

"Don't you dare think for a second that I'd forget that. There is a lot more going on that what you think, there's been a lot more that has happened than what you know. Do not think for a second that I am blind to the risks, but knowing what I know, witnessing what I have, has helped me in making the decision to allow this." Leia stated sternly, looking between Poe, Rose, and Finn.

"Leia... As Commander, I have to voice my concerns with how this will not end well-" Poe began, but quickly silenced himself as Leia held a palm up, hushing him as he stood.

"I will not hear any more of it." The older woman turned around and faced her son, who was still standing beside a wide-eyed Rey, expressionless as ever, though the way his eyes focused on the ground and shifted carefully around the group, Leia knew he was listening intently.

"As for you," She nodded towards Ben and waited until he locked eyes with her. "Every word I spoke a moment ago is true. I have felt a change within you, and I have witnessed the way you cared for Rey... Several times so it seems..." Leia waited a moment, watching as Ben's jaw tensed as his eyes narrow slightly.

She continued, "There is no escaping your wrong doings, and you will help your case, so long as you help us win this war."

The air was still stiff with tension as her words settled around them. Rey looked from Leia and up to Ben, a worried frown plastered on her face as her friends shifted from foot to foot, their own agitation still stinging their veins.

After a long moment, Ben shook his head. "Help you with this war as your prisoner?" he sneered.

Leia's chin rose in the air as she answered softly. "No, as my son." The soft reminder of their true relationship rang echoes in the room.

Ben blinked slowly, unfazed, though Rey did pick up on signs of his own anger.

Sparing him, Rey finally spoke in a quiet, unsteady tone. "So, what now?"

Leia's shoulder's relaxed just barely, seemingly thankful to be moving on. Inhaling deeply, she glanced to Rey with a quick nod, and looked back to Ben.

"Tell us all you know on how to defeat your people."

( X )

They remained in the same room for the hours following their arrival. By now, lieutenant Connix and a few Resistance members had joined, all of them standing near Poe, who was still eyeballing Ben, ready to pounce at any moment.

It had been difficult to explain their momentary truce with the Supreme Leader of the First Order, but eventually, they trusted Leia's plea and stayed to listen to their plan.

As patient as Rey mentally begged him to be, Ben told them all he knew of General Hux's power and tactics. They went over their ideas for attack, though nothing seemed to capture the notice of Ben, who only spoke when Rey spoke to him, or when she nudged him with her mind and elbow when his mother spoke.

Everyone else was too scared, too intimidated by the shock alone that the Resistance was actually going to accept this truce.

Leia and Connix rambled on with another layout as Poe began to pace, both Finn and Rose standing against the far wall as Rose observed the closeness between Ben and Rey, and how they didn't seem to shy away from one another, shifting when the other did, breathing when the other did... Even sharing a look that seemed to speak a thousand words.

It baffled her.

"We could try for the outskirts of the land?" Connix suggested, though Leia was already shaking her head.

"Too far from the base. I want our headcount close, not too close. Just enough to gather if things don't go right." The General muttered.

From the corner, Poe paused his footsteps and scoffed loudly with a shake of his head. "Things are already not going right..."

A couple of the resistance members nodded in agreement, causing Leia to sigh as Chewie huffed a warning to them.

Ben smirked, standing up straight as Rey tensed even more, gearing up for another altercation. Her nerves were wearing thin and the muscles bunching in her shoulders was actually causing pain now.

"We won't get anywhere if we're at each other's throats! I know this is not ideal, but his help so far has helped our numbers grow, it has freed people of their own pain and suffering and now we must all fight this together." Leia scolded everyone in the room, her dark eyes settling on the faces of each person there.

The room stayed quiet for a very long moment, until Rose spoke up.

"I trust you Leia..." Her soft gaze slowly drifted to Rey's face, giving her an honest and intense look. "And I trust you Rey." And then, she spoke directly to the tall, brooding man to her friend's side, his eyes falling on her with a bored, yet interested look. "My sister died by the First Order's doing, and I'm sure your hand had a part to play. If you're truly here to help us, then do it. And if not, I'll kill you myself."

Her voice trembled, but not a single person in the room had to use the force in order to know she meant every word.

Wordlessly, he got the picture, and only looked at her from across the room.

"Rose..." Finn whispered, disbelieving. His wife gave a small, reassuring smile as tears flushed her eyes.

"Saving what we love, right? ...I'll be outside." She said, excusing herself from the room.

Everyone watched her go, including Ben.

Once more, the room grew quiet.

Rey crossed her arms over her chest, the weight of everyone's anger and stress becoming nearly too much.

She felt torn between her friend and her bonded, knowing that his crimes were the reason her friends hurt so much... Though at any out lash or sour words spoken about Ben, Rey felt her defensiveness rise within the same second.

It was beginning to drive her mad, and to help her tension, she began to pace, catching the gaze of Poe, Leia, and Ben.

The three of them stared at her while Rey kept her own eyes pointed to the ground, memorizing each crack in the flooring as she thought of different strategies for the oncoming fight.

From the corner of his eye, Ben noticed Poe inhale deeply before raking a hand through his hair. Dameron shook his head slowly, lost in thought.

Without any hesitation, Ben peered into his mind, watching his thoughts from afar, making sure his presence in the pilot's mind was light enough to go unnoticed as he watched.

( X )

It was rather warm.

The sun appeared for the first time in the past three weeks, and Poe was more than delighted to finally have the chance to take Rey out instead of their regular flying session.

Today, he decided a picnic would be a nice change, though he only packed the little bit of fruit and water the base could spare, adding a small blanket for comfort.

Poe wasn't sure if it was a bit much, but Rey was different, and he was determined to give her a new experience after learning she'd never been on a picnic., and though he'd been on a few himself, sharing her first experience with her thrilled him.

As he set up their area atop a clearing that overlooked the lake below. It wasn't the greatest sight, but much less of an eyesore than the rest of his choices.

Smiling to himself, he placed a canteen down on the blanket he'd just laid out, and sat down as he waited for the Jedi, thinking of her curious and steady features.

In the past few months since Crait, they had both grown to rely on one another, however he figured that she must have been struggling to get over the events of the battle, and maybe even something more. In the beginning, it was hard getting Rey out of her shell, a shell that she had scavenged and created all for herself.

Poe knew it was difficult for Rey to let people in, especially after the deaths of Han and Luke, and the torture she must have endured at the hands of Snoke and Kylo Ren...

But there was no denying that he felt such a pull to the girl, something he had never felt with any other.

As if on cue, Rey strolled up, eyeing the goods that lay around Poe on the blanket, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the snacks and water.

She fell to her knees beside him with a smile on her face as she spoke, her eyes having yet to meet his, which made Poe's own smile widen.

"How in the stars were you able to sneak these?" She asked, poking at a few grapes, too cautious to take them outright.

Poe chuckled, grabbing for a few pieces. "I have my ways!" He offered a vine to her, which she gladly took, her hand skimming against his palm. The touch made his head buzz.

Clearing his throat, he continued. "I uh, hope you don't mind the location. I figured a little time away from the base might be good."

Rey met his eyes with a shy smile, resting her chin on a bent knee before she turned her gaze to the murky water below. "It's great, Poe. Thank you."

Poe smiled at her, admiring her messy hair and then joined her peering down at the lake.

They remained quiet for a very long time, letting each other's company fill the void.

Eventually, Poe laid back against the blanket, his arms crossed behind his neck and pillowing his head. Rey turned to watch him, a slow smile creeping along her features as she did the same, basking in the sunlight that bathed her now.

"Thank you. For all of it... The flying... The distractions... The books...All of it." Rey said quietly.

Poe turned his head to watch her eyes close, though her brows furrowed and her mouth formed into the usual frown. It wasn't a look of unhappiness he had discovered over the past few months, but instead it was a look of thoughtfulness

After Crait, Poe had been eager to meet the Jedi he had heard so much about, however there was a pull there when they had met, and he was determined to get closer. Over the months, they worked on their ships together, and eventually took it to the air as they did test runs and supply drops with the other.

He was delighted when she had grown comfortable with him enough to ask for help with reading from the Jedi text books, though no matter how hard he tried, he wasn't able to read through the odd symbols in the books.

It didn't stop them though, with Rose and Finn off doing their own thing and falling in love, Poe and Rey were the odd ones out, and a friendship bloomed when neither expected it, yet they both needed it.

Now, Poe was equally thankful for it, and he gave her a curt nod before asking a question that prodded his mind from time to time.

"Rey, what will you do when the war is over?"

Rey's eyes slowly opened to the sky as the crease between her brows faded, her white teeth making a quick appearance behind a fast grin.

"Well... I can't say for sure... But I've had this reoccurring dream quite a few times...I don't know where I am, but I can see the ocean, and it shares the same blue as the sky does. There are no ships, no fires, no urgency...I turn and I brush my hair behind my ear, and I notice a ring shining on my hand."

Rey's eyes open as she stares into the empty sky above.

"I think that usually means marriage... Which means I have someone, and someone has me. And that person is my family...That I belong with someone...That I have a last name for the first time in my life... And maybe I'm no longer a nobody..."

Poe notices a hint of sadness in her eyes before she blinks it away.

"There's a hut behind me, and I go back inside, but I never see who else is there... And the dream ends, sometimes it starts all over... But it must mean something. I know I'll get there one day..."

Rey turns her head and meets Poe's gaze, pinning him there as she speaks. "The war will end one day. That means there will be an awakening. There will be one big, crazy move that seems unidealistic, and that move alone is going to help us win this."

Poe continued watching her for a while, wondering what the Force could be telling her, daydreaming about what would happen if he himself could ever wield the force, and then he thought of her dreams.

Rey just wanted her family.

She wanted to belong to something, to someone. The self-reliant girl didn't want to just be needed... She wanted to be loved.

Poe's chest clenched with sorrow for his friend, wishing he could cure her of the loneliness and abandonment that tortures her.

He had grown to call her one of his closest friends, and discovered why Finn and Rose did the same. Rey brought such sunlight to everyone else's lives, taking away their stress and protecting them fiercely.

And at the end of it all, she just wanted the same in return.

Maybe now, he could be the one to give her this...

"Rey..." He muttered, his eyes soft on her as he both admired and loved her.

Her eyes had been cast back to the sky, but she flicked her gaze up to him, and the look alone made him breathless.

He only needed to speak up now... To use his voice... To tell her what she meant to him...

"Rey, I th-"

"Dameron, come in." His communicator went off, making both Poe and Rey jump. He used every curse word that came to mind as he scrambled for the device, committed to his job over any and everything.

Rey smiled at him as he sighed, answering the call.

"This is Dameron..."

( X )

Poe's memory slowly faded, and Ben crept out of his mind just as the pilot sighed, his shoulders falling in defeat and his head titling back to look at the ceiling, shaking his head in disbelief.

Ben's jaw clenched, his body hot with jealousy, but his own mind was too busy to rip Dameron to shreds.

His eyes watched Poe carefully as the man spoke.

"We have to..."

Everyone in the room grew quiet as they looked to Poe.

He took a minute before speaking again.

"We need him... If we're going to win this thing once and for all..."

Poe turned his black, hardened gaze to Ben. "You're going to stay in cuffs while you're here. You will stand your trial once the war is over. Your actions now may help the outcome, but it will happen either way." Poe said sternly.

The atmosphere shuddered with tension.

Ben said nothing, only matching the pilot's gaze before giving a single nod, and Poe slowly looked to Rey, who was watching with shock spread across her face.

"Big, crazy, unidealistic move, right?" he muttered to Rey, and the memory of the day she told him of her dream crashed into her mind, and with it, her heart clenched.

( X )

Two hours later, the group was still trading ideas for their strategy, each person growing more tired and agitated by the minute.

Rey couldn't help but notice how Leia and Ben shared the exact same expression while they were in heavy thought.

It seemed like every suggestion or idea was worse than the last, and Rey was beginning to feel the head of doubt settle in.

If they were destined to win this, why was it so hard?

Rey grumbled, rolling her eyes. Really, it should just be a matter of them swooping down from above and surp-

She blinked and froze in her place.

'From above?' Ben spoke to her mind, catching Rey off guard. She quickly straightened up, but hesitated with putting her mental block up.

She verbally answered him quietly, lost in thought as he watched. "Where they can't see...But-"

"They wouldn't expect it... Not when they're in the middle of fighting..." Ben answered, arms crossed as he leaned against a console.

The rest of the room went quiet as they watched their exchange, baffled at how calm they talked to one another, how easily it came, as if they were on the same wavelength.

"It'd be close...Too close." Rey answered, eyes on the ground.

"Hux would be blind. He'd be too focused if he were to see me on the field..."

"Most of our forces on the ground? Half of our best in the air, and the rest out of orbit-"

"Outside of their radar..." Finn joined in, finding his way through their conversation. Off to the side, Poe nodded, his face growing serious.

"That could work..." Poe muttered.

Rey and Ben shared a look that seemed to relay relief, and for the first time since arriving back at the base, Rey was able to breathe comfortably.

( X )

The plan was set.

Once everyone understood their part, the room broke part to begin preparations and to spread the news, each of them knowing their time was limited before Hux and his men found them all.

There would be no more running, no more hiding.

The time to fight was now.

( X )

 **Author's Notes:**

 **GUYS! I am so sorry for the delay. I meant to post this 1-2 weeks ago, but as I was posting it, I ended up losing the chapter on FF and was unable to recover it, which just made me discouraged to write it all again.**

 **I APOLOGIZE! But to make it up, I will be posting another chapter in a couple days - I PROMISE. And it will be rated M :D**

 **I think there's only a few more chapters left for this story, and I thank you all for sticking with me through it all.**

 **Enjoy the ride, buttercups.**

 **In the mean time, go read my other Reylo story, 'Carnivorous.'!**


	64. Chapter 64

Several hours later, Rey paced back and forth in front of the security bay, anxiously waiting for the moment Resistance guards let Ben go, or at least had an update with their plan of action.

After their meeting, Lando arrived with his crew, escorting Leia away in a tearful embrace as the old friends caught up. Rey's heart clenched at the sight, though she briefly picked up on Ben's turmoil as well before his block shot up.

Shortly after, the security team took Ben into a briefing room, drilling him further about First Order intel and eventually a physical search, taking his lightsaber away and angering him even more.

Ben seethed as he was handcuffed, refusing to look anyone in the eye as he was taken away.

Rey stuck by his side until that very moment, watching as he was escorted away, and as Rey tried to join them in the room, one of the guards stepped in front of her when she tried to enter the room, refusing her entry as they dealt with private matters.

Still, even as the door closed, he kept his eyes forward and jaw taunt, the last sight Rey saw as the door closed.

And so, the pacing began.

Rey knew the situation at hand would be a tense one.

However, Ben Solo was finally home, regardless of the war at hand or the way everyone felt about him. He was answering for his faults and crimes, even if he was struggling while doing so.

The thought brought a small smile to Rey's face as she counted the cracks in the floor.

"Rey?"

Her head whipped up at the sound of her friend's voice.

A few feet away, both Poe and Rose stood, studying her intently and giving off the vibe of being scared to approach her, unaware of Rey's current state of mind. They were both eager to check in on her and speak with Rey without the curious eyes of the Resistance members.

Though she anxiously stopped her pacing, Rey's smile widened at the sight of the pair.

"Hey. I was going to go look for you shortly, I just wanted-" Rey began rambling, though she was cut off by Rose.

"It's okay. We know the situation is tense-" Rose started, Poe cutting in.

"Yeah, if that's what you want to call it." He mumbled.

Rey's brow quirked involuntarily as her heart clenched with dread, knowing that it would not be an easy thing for them to accept Ben's presence here.

A long time ago, she was sure Rey herself would have felt the same.

"Poe... He's agreed to help to us. It's not ideal, I know... But we need him..."

Rose continued watching her, and Rey noticed that her friend did not share the same anger that Poe held in his eyes.

"I just can't believe you're so willing to accept his help after all he's done." Poe shook his head.

This time, Rey's jaw flinched with a mix of annoyance and hurt.

"Poe, if you really think it was easy than you really know nothing. A lot has happened since I last saw you..." Rey's voice trailed off as she remembered the events that called her away, starting from the time in Cinnon'Ra, to training with Ben, and everything in Naboo.

She'd seen so much, experienced things no other should go through, and in it all stood Ben at her side. No one would understand it, and she couldn't think of a way to make them.

Poe's gaze met Rey's, his eyes squinting with confusion. "And what exactly happened?" He asked, his tone of voice giving way to an unsteady flicker of jealousy that caused Rey to drift away.

Sensing the tension rising, Rose broke the ice to save her friend, even if she herself was still confused. "Guys, we're back together again, after everything we've been through. This is the last thing we need right now." Rose stated calmly, her eyes flickering up to Poe, who was still watching Rey carefully.

"Yeah... Yeah." Poe muttered with his hands at his hips. Clicking his tongue, Poe turned on his heel and left, tossing back his final words for the day. "Rey, we'll catch up later."

Rey sighed while she watched him go, sadness and guilt creeping in.

From the corner of her eye, Rey realized Rose was still watching her closely, and that fact made her straighten herself up and clear her throat.

"Rose, I'm sor-"

"You love him, don't you?" Rose breathed, disbelief and understanding washing over her face.

Rey's heart seemed to freeze at her friend's clarity, calling her out for the truths that enveloped Rey's being.

Her eyes slowly met Rose's, and without a word, Rose slowly nodded for Rey.

Gulping, Rey's breath hitched during the few long moments that followed after, their shared look sending more words than their voices could.

"I... I don't know how to explain it, Rose... I know firsthand what he's capable of... I've seen it... just as I have seen the good. Our bond... Our strength..." Rey struggled to find the words as she tried to use the force to pinpoint how Rose felt, surprised as the calm waves that vibrated from her friend.

Rose didn't say anything for a long time as passerby's filled the hall's, rushing by with hushed whispers when they glanced at Rey.

Rey's cheeks burned at the stares, not needing to use the force to hear what they were saying as the speculation hit the stranger's eyes faster than their thoughts.

Even through this, Rose was unbothered.

"Rey..." Rose shook her head, finally glancing away as she processed the truth. "I... I don't understand it..." she said carefully. "But... I still support you. I know you're using your head here... And I have to say, I am scared for you... But I'm also happy for you. "

The last line of her comment made Rey's gaze fly to meet her friends, her brows creasing with surprise as she stammered her response. "Y- you're happy for...me?"

Rose's face lit up with a cheeky grin that both warmed and calmed Rey. "Yes. I meant what I told him earlier... He better be here for a good reason... I suppose now I know that the reason is you. You're different with him... It's like I can actually see the understanding and comfort you both have in each other's presence..."

Rose chuckled, meanwhile Rey shifted from foot to foot as she took in Rose's words.

"Is that a good thing?" Rey questioned quietly, her heart still hammering away in her chest.

Again, Rose smiled and let it slowly fade away before answering. "You tell me."

At this, Rey gave a small smile before slowly nodding. "He's different, Rose. He understands me, and he helps me become the best that I can be. Rose, if I told you everything, you may be able to understand it... Our connection, I mean, and the bond we share." Rey shook her head as she looked off into the distance. "No one will understand."

At this, Rose nodded. "No. They won't." The silence filled the air between them once more as they thought of the truth in her words.

Rey knew acceptance would never become of Ben, no matter how hard they tried. Ben had done too much, and they wouldn't take the chance to see the good he could do.

The thought made Rey fill with sad disappointment.

Would they ever be able to live a normal life after this?

Was that even what they wanted?

"Don't get lost in your thoughts." Rose comforted Rey, reaching out wrap her arms around Rey. The women shared a long embrace, and Rey was reminded of the strength in this friendship as she sighed and pulled away.

Rose didn't know it, but she was the rock Rey needed at this moment.

"Finn wouldn't ever forgive me..." Rey mumbled with a shake of her head.

"Don't you worry about him. Give him time and he'll have no choice. He'd never give your friendship up, Rey. Neither would I."

Rey looked up from the ground to Rose's face with a small smile that didn't fully reach her eyes.

"Thank you, Rose." Rey said, meaning every word.

The interaction with her friend calmed her in ways that the force would never be able to.

( X )

His fists were clenched painfully tight, almost to the point that his fingernails cut through his gloves.

He knew arriving here would cause a stir, however there was no amount of planning that would have been able to cure him of his annoyance.

With his jaw tense, he readjusted himself against the cold stone of the ground, his back pressed up against the wall of his cell while his hands remained cuffed in front of him, as if that alone would stop him.

Shortly after the meeting his mother held, Ben watched as Lando greeted her with a tearful hug, their emotions high as they both grieved his own father, the man he killed with the lightsaber the Resistance guards took.

Thinking about the sight of Lando and his mother made Ben shift again, his hair curtaining his face as he cursed every being in the galaxy.

He was here to gain access to Hux... To kill the man that took everything from him, that schemed and plotted his downfall, and the thought of finally bringing an end to him was enough to calm his anger with the Rebellion... For now.

Ben refused to think anymore of his mother's face or voice, or of the people that rallied around her, including Lando.

The only face that stood in the distance of his mind, was Rey...

Rey...

The girl that was currently walking down the staircase of the large prisoner grounds, glancing around with wide, curious eyes until they fell on Ben, who watched her from behind his messy hair.

Her eyes gleamed with contentment instantly, sighing quietly as she looked around, her gaze eventually falling upon the guard that stood just beyond Ben's cell.

Curious, but masking it with a bored look, Ben continued watching as Rey casually walked over to the guard, who readjusted his hands on the blaster at his hip.

Knowingly, Rey watched the movement before her brows tensed in annoyance.

"I've been given the authorization to take over the watch. You may leave." Rey stated surely, her chin rising in the air.

Behind her, Ben scoffed.

The guard gave her a confused look and glanced to the top of the stairwell, just now realizing that the other two guards were nowhere to be found.

"Um... I'm sorry, Miss. I haven't received any orders..." He shifted uncomfortably, knowing he was now alone in the presence of two force users.

Rey's jaw tensed briefly before she relaxed her shoulders, a twinge of guilt hitting her gut.

"Let me just-" The guard quickly reached for his comm, but froze as Rey captured his wrist, holding his gaze when his head whipped to her with fearful eyes.

Emitting a calm wave to him, Rey spoke in a low, assuring, and almost seductive tone that made Ben's ears perk up, still watching and now in awe.

"You will return to your chambers, and you will speak of this to no one."

The guard nodded slowly, repeating her words back. "I will return to my chambers, and I will speak of this to no one."

Rey nodded her head at him. "The prisoner is being watched through the night. You've done a great job."

The man's fear washed away, replaced with a proud smile across his face. "The prisoner is being watched through the night. I've done a great job!"

Rey returned a smile, releasing his wrist and stepping out of the way to let him pass, studying him carefully as he hopped up the stairs, the smile still never leaving his face.

With a sigh, Rey glanced around the room once more, spotting the camera that lay in the corner of the room. With a small wave of her wrist, she watched as it deactivated itself and lowered its head as it slept, leaving her and Ben to their privacy.

Satisfied, Rey turned back to Ben, and used the force once more to unlock the door to his cell and let herself in.

He refused to acknowledge her out of annoyance with the situation, but he could not deny the awe he felt as he watched his bonded mind trick the guard, unable to deny that seeing it in action thrilled him.

Towering over him, she smiled at her bond mate, though it was not returned as he refused to meet her eyes, choosing to look across the room.

Tensing, Rey kneeled in front of him, reaching to uncuff him.

"Am I not supposed to be cuffed and chained here like the good prisoner I am?" He growled.

Rey's eyes flickered to him, narrowing in the process as she paused her movements.

"I am not the enemy. None of these people are."

"Then why am I stuck here? Demanded for information, question after question, chained and stripped of my belongings?" This time, Ben met her eyes, glaring at her just as she was at him.

Rey sighed, shaking her head as she slowly removed the black gloves from his large hands.

After waiting for Ben, she received word that he had been taken to a cell, and passed the time in her chambers as she felt the members of the Resistance slowly make their way to their own beds, and after a while, the feeling of heavy sleep was felt through the base.

Rey took her chance and followed Ben's force signature, thankful that they chose to keep him in a separate prisoner's bay away from everyone else.

After a day like this, her interaction with Ben was not going as she had hoped.

"Ben," she pleaded, her hand reaching up to his cheek and leaving his hands cuffed.

He nearly reared away from her touch, though she anticipated it and moved faster, her palm laying against his warm cheek.

Instantly, his tension began to roll away as she stroked her thumb along his jaw, watching as Ben's gaze fell to the floor, allowing her comfort.

The simple motion of letting himself be touched nearly made her weep, Rey's heart clenching as he took her comfort, and he gave his acceptance. There were no words for that moment, and Rey knew it.

Choosing not to uncuff him, Rey instead lifted his arms above his head and settled herself on his lap, straddling him and letting his cuffed arms encircle her.

He immediately buried his face in the crook of her neck, and Rey's own arms tightened around him, their hearts beating against one another as they finally found the peace they needed.

Rey let one arm fall against his chest, her hand resuming the stoke along his cheek beneath his hair. Ben refused to move, not budging from his position whatsoever as he breathed in her scent.

He couldn't make sense of it anymore, found no reason to even try.

Force be damned, Rey was his calm now.

Facing the demons of his past, and answering for the crimes he made, Ben knew he was down here because of his own wrong doing, and yet, even knowing what he's done and the consequences of his actions, Rey was still by his side, needing him just as much as he needed her.

Gulping away disbelief, he geared up to tell her what he felt.

"I... I apologiz-"

Rey shook her head, leaning away from to look him in the eye. "Don't. It's okay... I still love you." Rey shook her head, looking for the words as she softly spoke. "I still love you..."

Their eyes held on to one another, seeking and finding the truth in her words, and the acceptance he felt.

Rey leaned forward, pressing a small kiss to his bottom lip as he held still for a brief moment before capturing her lips with his, demanding more.

Rey's gasp flew away as his cuffed hands pressed her into him, the growing member that is his shaft becoming evident as her core pressed onto him.

Her cheeks grew hot as she returned his urgent kiss, her blood heating along with the pool in her abdomen, her desire growing and intertwining with his.

"Rey..." He breathed against her lips, a plea for more yet a cry of frustration at his inability to move with his cuffed hands. He could have used the force by now, but he dared not anger Rey in the moment, knowing if he was caught with broken cuffs, it could be the end of the truce between him and the Resistance.

With the small break of his mouth from hers, Rey took the opportunity to trail her lips along his chin and jaw, finding the odd sensation of his growing stubble pleasing along her mouth. Ben held still as best he could as she took whatever she wanted of him, shuddering as her teeth found the flesh beneath his earlobe.

Still, he grew harder, eager to get closer to Rey and consume her just as she was doing to him.

"Rey." He called again, demanding more when her hand delved into her hair.

Ben gulped, his hooded eyes barely open as she gently pulled at his hair, forcing his head back as she nipped at his skin again, marveling at the way his skin broke out in goosebumps beneath her touch.

She let a single fingertip glide along the top of his tunic, taking her time as she undid the clasps along his frontside, and eventually let her palm slide along his exposed abdomen.

His chest shuddered beneath her touch, still marveling at how innocent yet demanding her touches were.

Such like Rey, he decided.

With a quick thrust of his hip, he reminded her of his already aching member.

It wasn't about the simple need to relieve himself, nor was it the pure urge to have her. To Ben, Rey was never an object or a person that he could use and be done with.

His raw desire for her was alive and real, an entity all in its own as it aimed to seek her out physically, mentally, emotionally... Where ever he went, he always wound back at Rey, determined to do all and be all that she needed.

It wasn't long ago at all that he refused to bend the knee for anyone, yet here he was, incapable of resisting to any part of her she gave him.

Atop him still, Rey pressed hot, gentle kisses along his collar bone, trailing back up to meet his mouth with a slow, heated kiss. Her tongue danced with his, timid and shy, yet so painstakingly curious that Ben let her roam him and take charge, giving away the last of his will to be upset at the place he was currently sitting in.

Their lips moved together, a mix of kissing and nipping that began to drive Rey wild, heat welling within her as she experimentally rolled her hips onto him, basking in the feel of his throbbing member pressing against her in the perfect spot.

Rey gasped as she repeated the motion, her eyes slowly opening to watch Ben's reaction as he leaned his head against the wall behind him, suppressing a groan.

Eager for more, and needing to rid themselves of the day, Rey stood on her knees and unclasped the pin at the top of his pants, making quick work of them as she pushed the garment to his thighs, his legs moving to assist as his hands were still cuffed behind her back.

Rey thought of uncuffing him, even for the moment, but the way he was forced to hold her tight thrilled her in more ways than she could count, and the truth of it reached Ben's mind she realized, hearing his small smirk in the corners of her mind.

The sound made her eyes narrow at him, as he peered at her beneath hooded lids.

Taking another moment, Rey watched him as she pushed her own pants to her ankles with a small struggle, though her eyes never left his.

Without any hesitation, Rey grasped his member with a soft touch, studying his features as her grip firmed, the sound of a trembling breath escaping through his nostrils.

She gave him a long, solid stroke as Rey gently rested her forehead against his, and then leaned in to press another kiss to his now trembling lips. Her own abdomen quivered as she did so, the evidence of his want for her within the palm of her hand.

Moments like these, when they were shed of clothing and basking in each other's nudity and lust, reminded Rey that she had someone to call her own, someone that treated her as an equal, and not just a scavenger.

She felt powerful, and in this, it had nothing to do with the force.

His arms tightened around her, offering all the security he had, showing her the shelter he could provide, letting her know she was safe, over and over again, she was always safe.

Rey moved to kiss the corner of his mouth gently, and then pressed another kiss to his cheek, and for the quickest moment, he was lost in her, in the soft way she cared for him.

With a small gulp, Rey shifted on her knees, and positioned his shaft at her center, sliding down him so slowly that he feared that he'd finish right then.

Her eyes drifted close as her chin rose into the air, marveling at how she stretched to fit him snugly, every inch of him filling her and staking his claim against her walls.

As Rey settled on top of him, they both shared a shaky sigh, finally at the moment they were both eager to share, the intense need to take and give at a new peak.

She shifted her hips, readjusting her knees at his sides, beginning to slowly move onto him with the slick heat of her core throbbing with every movement.

The feeling alone caused a low moan to escape from Rey, her hand pressed flat against the wall behind Ben as the other lay at his bicep.

The sound of her tickled at his ear, and a sudden, hard tremble coursed through him, his hips jutting against her, causing her to fully envelop him.

Rey gasped as her eyes opened at the sensation, the sound of his own hitched breath filling the silence as she moved again, harder this time, her thighs slamming against his own as she watched his head fall back, eyes closing with a strangled huff.

Again, Rey moved, encouraged by his reaction and the feeling of his hard member brushing into a part within her that caused another raspy moan.

Without thinking, her hand flew into his hair, gripping onto it as if it were the only thing to anchor her to this place as she rode him, all her timid shyness gone as her curiosity found the perfect spot for both her and Ben.

Ben's palm lay flat against her tailbone, guiding her and keeping her in place as she made love for the both of him. The cuffs on his wrists clanked with every movement, and he was sure he'd never forget the now-delightful sound.

As she grew steadier with her motion, finding the best pace with a mix of hard and quick thrusts, his hands slid up her bare back beneath her tunic and wraps, his fingernails dragging against her flesh as they trailed back down.

Close now, his arms tightened at her waist and forced her chest flat against his, catching her off guard with a breathless gasp.

Their eyes met one another's as she paused before she leaned down and pressed a hot kiss to his lips, her tongue darting out to skim his lip. He quickly moved to capture her lips once more, though she dodged him by kissing his cheek, resuming the roll of her hips.

Again, the sound of her breathless, throaty moans tickled his ear, and he held her so tight that was unable to move on him as she buried her face in his neck.

Clenching his jaw tight in hopes of it distracting himself from releasing within her, Ben held her tight with his cuffed hands and immobile arms as he leaned back against the wall and thrust upwards from the floor, pressing into her harder and harder with every push.

Rey moaned into his neck, causing Ben's eyes to roll shut as he shuddered, a loud, raw grown escaping from him. She bit his shoulder to keep from herself from being too loud, but as Ben held her tight in place and helped her take all of him in, she couldn't help the breathless whine that filled the air around him, trembling as her body gave into her pleasure.

Wave after wave rolled through her as her release came, her eyes shut tight while Ben held her down onto him, thrusting more as she rode out her climax.

With a final thrust, Ben throbbed with her, tossing his head back as he trembled and hissed into the air, his own release pouring into her center, coating her walls and eventually his own thighs.

Their chests fell and rose, matching one another's grasp to regain their breath. Rey's arms looped behind his neck, and without moving, the cuffs unclicked and tumbled to the floor.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lip.

( X )

Later in the night, Rey chose to reactivate the security camera, hoping that the act would save them from any backlash for being off in the first place, and though Rey was now on the other side of the locked cell, the cuffs remained off for now.

Ben lay on the cold ground, his arm pillowing his head as he looked at the ceiling, dreading the moment when Rey left, knowing his clouded thoughts would beckon him once more, keeping him from the sleep he wished for the first time in his life.

As the moment approached, Ben grew quiet, watching her from the corner of his eye. He stared at her as she climbed the stoned staircase, and disappeared around the corner, leaving Ben alone without a goodbye in the least.

His jaw unwillingly twitched as he tensed, wishing for her presence more.

He was just about to crush the bars of his cell with his mind when the lights dimmed, and Rey returned, holding two blankets and two pillows in her arms. Ben immediately sat up, studying her.

Skillfully, she slipped one of each to him through the bars, which he hesitantly took from her, watching with surprise as she situated herself on the floor on the other side of his cell.

As comfortable as she could be, Rey glanced up to his face and waited for him to do the same.

His mouth opened to say something, though he wasn't sure what, and quickly closed it as he moved closer to her, resting the pillow on the ground and draping the blanket over his legs.

Slowly, he laid down, turned his head to her to see that she was watching him with heavy eyelids.

After a brief moment, her arm slipped through the bars, holding her hand out to his.

Without any hesitation, he took her small hand and held it, wondering how a monster like himself could have ever been considered 'worthy' in a war like this.

( X )

Author's Notes: Ah. Some much needed not-so-quiet-time. Hope you all liked it! Sorry for the delay, a LOT of editing went into this one until I was finally happy lol. Since we are approaching the end of the story, I may add a few shorter chapters that lead up to the end, so be prepared. 😊 Thanks for reading!

Leave me some love?

Tumblr: VirtualReylo


	65. Chapter 65

Her dreams moved fast.

So fast in fact, that even asleep, she began to feel dizzy.

Intense, yellow eyes flashed through her mind, studying her movements, smirking at her thoughts and desires...

She tried so hard to get by, to move past the judgmental, beady eyes that watched her from a far. No matter which way she turned, no matter how fast she truly moved, it was never enough.

Eventually she was caught, a strong, firm hand sliding around her throat, making her heartbeat quicken it's already too-fast paced.

Her own eyes widened as she looked upon the dark figure that caught her, dressed in black robes and the sunken purple colors surrounding those yellow eyes...

She was being hunted...It only just dawned on her...

And now she was caught.

( x )

With a jolt, Rey woke up still curled into a ball on the opposite side of the prison cell where Ben lay, studying the ceiling. It took Rey a few blinks and a hard gulp to shake her thoughts of the odd dream, that felt too much like reality.

Inhaling sharply, Rey sat up and rolled her neck around to ease her aches as she felt Ben's force slowly prod her, a tentative hand asking for permission to seek her thoughts.

The notion made her chuckle.

"Thank you for not intruding..."

From the corner of her eye, Rey saw him glance to her, his head pillowed on his arms as he lay on his back. His black hair sat messy around his head, and Rey was just about to lay back down to play with a lock of it before realizing how late it had gotten.

"Can't say I didn't try... Your block was up while you slept." Ben told her with his tone low but curious.

That fact made Rey's ears perk up, slightly surprised though thankful at her block. The dream, however, still plagued her mind, the image of seeing that pale creature with those eyes that were always followed by the harshest stories back home...

She hated it.

"I'm fine. Really." Rey tried to cover up, turning to meet his eyes and giving him a small smile of reassurance.

Ben sat up with ease, his eyes scanning her features, accusations already filling his tongue though he never spoke to her verbally.

Glancing away from guilt, Rey gathered her pillow and shoved it through the bars to him, in case he required extra comfort.

His eyes never left her face as she moved, and before she got to her feet, Rey reached a small, fragile hand towards his face, cupping his cheek and savoring his warmth.

"Everything is fine. Truly, it was only a dream. It was almost like the times in the cave, back on Ach-To... The force was just so... vivid."

Ben showed little relief, though his eyes did seem to shave a layer of the intense worry he previously showed.

Rey cast a quick glance to the doorway, relieved to see it still empty. With a sigh, she stood back to her full height, stretching her limbs as she began to feel bad for leaving Ben by himself.

Ben rose, silently watching her and dreading the fact that she had to leave. He hated to feel so … clingy. The word itself left a bad taste in his mouth as he rolled his eyes.

Easily feeling his embarrassment and a small sense of overwhelming anxiety, Rey's thumb moved to brush his cheek in comfort.

"You'll still feel me through the bond. I'll be checking on you. I just need to see what our next step is."

With a clenched jaw, Ben nodded, still silent even when he watched her go.

( x )

The base was extremely quiet when everyone slept. It almost made Rey more comfortable as she made her way back to her bunk, aware that any sound would raise alarm be it from her or something else.

The day's events began to weigh on Rey's shoulders, her legs becoming sluggish as she walked, eyelids heavy with the ache for sleep.

Even through the tiredness though, she felt accomplished and satisfied.

Ben was home, and so was she.

( x )

It was only a few hours later by the time the rest of the base woke up, scurrying off to make preparations for the closing of this war. Determination filled the air, so much so that Rey began to feel overwhelmed with their thoughts and high emotions.

Every person here was desperate for this end, just as much as he was.

Sleep did not come easy for her the rest of the night after leaving Ben's side, and a part of her regrets leaving in the first place.

But, for the comfort of the base, she decided to leave, only to toss and turn in her own bunk for hours before getting up to grab some caff and a biscuit.

She was just about to grab another to sneak to Ben, when Rey felt a quick wave of urgency through the force that enarly made her drop her cup. Turning quickly, Rey nearly bumped into Rose, who was standing right behind her with a worried look on her face, hand raised mid air to tap Rey's shoulder.

"Rey!" Rose gasped, startled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you! But-"

"What is it?" Rey demanded, her mind already working the room to pinpoint what was going on. Behind Rose, several Resistance members were already getting up from their tables and moving to the conference room in a hurry.

"It's Hux, he's issuing a live warning across the stars."

Not needing to hear another word, Rey quickly moved past Rose and ran to their main headquarters.

( x )

He couldn't tell what he was more annoyed at.

A random fly continued buzzing around the room, occasionally stopping on the bars of the cell to add to Ben's annoyance before quickly flying away.

After Rey left, the previous guard returned to his stance near the entrance, his gaze still hazy from the mind trick Rey put him in the past night. Every now and then, Ben caught the man glancing around, his face full of confusion as the guard tried to make sense of the few events before he'd shake his thoughts away and get back to the task at hand; making sure Ben stayed put.

The constant babysitting was irritating to Ben, and even more so that Rey was nowhere to be seen. With a huff, Ben rolled his eyes as he stayed in place, laying on the cold ground still and his cuffed hands pillowing his head.

For a moment, his mind began to drift from the boredom and irritation onto the previous day's events.

He had expected to be immediately executed had he ever made the decision to join his mother's cause, not that he didn't deserve it... but he expected it for sure. The fact that he was still living and breathing surprised him only a little, knowing that Rey was the one that would protect him...

Which a fact, in itself, shocked him more.

He had never been one to depend on anybody, nor put his trust or life in anyone's hands... But she was his, and he was hers. No one knew him like she did, and no one knew her like he did.

Their bond only confirmed this, encouraged it even. They were destined to be the other's protector, and he knew deep down that she would never up and abandon these people... He felt it.

Every day in Naboo he felt her anxiousness grow, her determination only building by the minute. He had to act in the only way he knew how; Discreetly, and with power.

It was the truest lesson Snoke had ever taught him, to have a plan within the plan.

She would never agree with it, but his mother ruled in the same way.

At the thought of his mother, his body tensed harshly and he had to force himself to breathe steadily.

For a quick moment, he wondered what she thought of him being here. The nasty, dark side of him jabbed at his own mind, telling him that he was just another pawn in the game she created...

But in the back of his mind, he felt the resemblance of Rey's force signature iron the thought away back into the little bubble that resided within him, a dark, cold place that was beginning to get smaller and smaller by the day... though it never truly went away.

Checking his senses, Ben realized that Rey didn't reach out, and knew his own mind must have presented the ghost of her force, which in turn only astonished him more.

There was a very long time in his life where Snoke had the same power, used to mold him into a punishable being that did his master's bidding...

But now... The girl changed everything...

The scavenger from nowhere...

The corner of his mouth twitched with a smile at the thought, and with a sigh, his mind began to replay their moments alone.

His body ached for her, a sudden pulse that nearly drove him off the floor he lay on. He'd never been so attracted to anybody, or anything, before.

It was never to do with her strength, or her power with the force...

It was always her; Raw, honest, curious.

She was always just as eager to learn him the way he did her, and her aggressive curiosity lured him without fail every time, always ready to position him or urge him in any way, shape, or form. It was always to her liking, and by the way she would smile or gasp when he touched a sensitive spot... It was absolutely thrilling.

Rey was so responsive to everything, and he knew it was because she was so inexperienced, but her encouragement gave him all the confidence he needed when it came to pleasing her, which only satisfied him even more.

Slowly blinking, Ben felt his body heat at the memories of their first time, and how she had looked at both him and his shaft... Wide eyed, shocked... But curious...Even when her timid hand held him in her palm later that night, and only moments later she sat on her hands and knees, trembling as his own lips met her wet core.

And then his mind drifted to the night on Naboo, when she took him into her mouth... How her tongue lapped at him, tasted him, savored him...

With a dry throat, Ben licked at his lips, a hard gulp soon following.

He briefly wondered if she ever thought of those moments, of how they connected time after time, whether it be their first time together, or the nights on Naboo when she waited for his return, or when they made love in the moonlight, completely open in the front of their window...

Yes, he wondered if she thought of these times indeed, and another thought drifted by, a curious question posing in the form of a vision in his mind that ignited a roll of heat through him. Did she ever touch herself to the thought of him?

Though it happened more times, he remembered two occasions in particular where he had done such, before and after Snoke's death.

The day she had sneered at him, calling him a monster...He had taken himself in his hand during his shower, unable to resist the urge any longer with his member painfully hard. His mind played her features to him; long lashes, pink mouth, brown silky hair, and her eyes so powerful and stern... The thought of pleasuring himself to memories of her intrigued him too often, and he had done so well disobeying the taunts of satisfaction.

Though he tried his best, Snoke sought the memory out the following morning, and he received several lashes that his Master refused to allow him to force heal... He decided later that night, that it had been worth it.

And the second time was one that left him light headed, again in the shower as dirt, blood, and sweat rolled down his body only a day after their fight on Crait. His own body betrayed him, demanding attention and pleasure as he recalled the way they fought together.

Again, his lips threatened another smile, knowing their skills have only grown together now.

It was subtle, the way she always seemed to-

A sound down the hallway broke Ben from his heated thoughts, and he stilled as he focused on who was coming.

Realizing who it was, he quickly got to his feet, all signs of his previous state completely gone as he watched Poe Dameron swing around the corner.

Their eyes locked, each with a glare of distain and annoyance as Poe stepped closer, stopping just beyond the cell as Ben leaned against the bars.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't everyone's favorite flyboy." Ben teased in a low voice with a bored smirk plastered on his face.

"And if it isn't the galaxy's most hated murderer." Poe sneered back at Ben, eyeing with hatred in his gaze. "Looking pretty rough behind these bars, aren't we?"

Ben shrugged and answered without thinking. "Not sure, I'd say I slept pretty damn well."

Poe's eyes narrowed momentarily, confused for a moment. Before the pilot's mind could trek elsewhere, Ben added, "Why are you here?"

Stilling thinking about what Ben was implying, Poe took a few seconds before timidly replying. "Live broadcast from the First Order... Leia wants you to watch with us to pick up any clues..." Poe answered, before reaching to unlock the cell door.

Ben couldn't help but notice how Poe checked to make sure his cuffs were still in place, and the thought would have made him smirk, if he wasn't already thinking about what Hux could be planning.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Ben followed.

( x )

The room was completely full and silent, tons of members squeezing in to watch and hear as the new leader of the First Order took the stage, standing straight before he looked the monitor head on.

Leia, Rose, Finn, and R2-D2 stood front and center as they watched, soon followed by Chewie, Flora and BB-8. They crowded together, quietly and intensely watching on just as Poe shoved Ben into the room, still cuffed.

Fearing the tall man dressed in dark colors, the crowd moved to the side to give him room as he made his way to stand behind his mother, just as Rey got to the door opposite of them, the crowd too moving aside to make room for their new favored heroine.

Rey briskly walked to her friends, standing beside Ben, their eyes already on the monitor as Hux began to speak with a loud, aggressive tone.

"Civilians, traitors, residents – All people that walk throughout this galaxy. As your new leader, of not only the First Order, but of the new world we seek after this war, hear me now. We are coming to the end of this battle, and I ask that you choose your side now. Let it be a smart choice, and let your ears ring with the truth of my words; Any being that stands with the Resistance will be killed on sight, there will be no one taken in custody, nor will you have a time to answer for your crimes. Your death will be painful, and all whom stand at your own side will follow in the same manor. We will not make any exceptions to your wives, nor your children.

"With this said, claim your side with the First Order, and you will live the rest of your days without war, standing true to an order that stands for justice. Let your stance ring high, any silence will be taken as treachery and will be treated as such. As for the Resistance, you are in our line of sight, your downfall is only days away. If your members choose to turn away from your cause, we will offer a quick death. All those that choose to remain, will suffer by our hand."

Hux's faced lit up with a grin that sent chills through the air, just as something moved in the corner behind Hux; Stormtroopers meeting one another with crates, a similar logo on the front that reminded Rey of what she had seen on Naboo.

"With that said, choose carefully. And quickly."

The broadcast shut off, filling their screens with black and static as the room began to grow loud with worry.

Poe quickly moved to stand in the middle of everyone's view, trying to grab their attention and hush them at the same time. "Everyone, everyone! Now is not the time to panic, we have t-"

"He said only days! We aren't prepared!" A member called from the back of the room, shouting over everyone.

As the room went on, Leia leaned on her cane, glancing to the ground as she thought.

Ben shuffled from foot to foot behind her, before his own eyes cast down to Rey, who instead of worrying, had a confused look on her face, brows creasing and mouth slightly parted.

"What is it?" Ben asked.

At the question, Rey's friends turned to face her as her chest began to rise and drop, heat growing within her from anger and disbelief.

Leia turned now, watching the young girls face.

"Those crates...They were the same ones that Caleo had on Naboo. The ones with the power to stop our energy in the force..." Rey stated.

Flora and Poe shared a quick glance of concern before turning back to Rey.

"DJ knew all about them..." Rey said, continuing to talk as she thought.

"DJ, the master code breaker?" Rose asked, nodding to Finn.

"Yes... Did you notice where Hux was at? The location?" Rey asked Ben, turning to face him. Her friends did the same.

"It looked like Hocutt... We docked their occasionally." Ben recalled, and Rey was already nodding in agreement.

"Yes, it was Hocutt. When I met Han, he showed me Takodana for the first time, and he told me of a land where the skies were grey, and the grass was orange. In the far edge of the screen, that's where it looked like Hux was at."

For a moment, the group was quiet as the crowd behind them went on.

"I don't understand... What's that mean?" Finn shook his head frustratingly.

After a second, Rose's eyes widened. "That means-"

"Hocutt is three days away, but we have opposite time zones. If this were actually a live broadcast, it'd be dark as day there."

"A fake broadcast? But why?" Poe asked, dumbfounded.

"Because they're already here. They say it'll be days, but..." Leia guessed, before Rose finished.

"But they could already be in orbit...How?"

"We could have been followed... We overtook Naboo, we freed their people... There could have been a bad seed..." Poe assumed.

Leia shook her head before anyone else could interject. "It was the only way to get everyone out, anything else would have taken too long and could have compromised the entire plan." At the rise of her voice, the rest of the room grew steadily quiet, all eyes focused on their leader as they waited for word.

Ben felt his presence growing more out of place by the second, but watching as Rey's group of friends worked together to get to the point was both amusing and astonishing.

But Rey had figured it out, even before he did, and at this point, he couldn't be surprised anymore.

"The First Order is getting closer by the second. I want everyone ready by nightfall."

Both Rey and Ben felt a heavy surge of worry and fear spread through the air as Leia continued, sensing the panic herself. "We have fought this hard to get here, to the end. We will not give up. They are expecting a fight, and they have every right to because we have not given up, nor will we ever."

"We have to be ready. We will go with the original plan. I want half our pilot's in air, out of orbit. By the time the First Order gets closer, it'll be too late for them, they won't see us coming from above, or from behind. Poe, take lead and fuel up, Chewie and Flora I need you to organize ground control, get with Lando to orchestrate." The room quickly began to spread out, following their designated leaders as the others waited for their commands.

"Jessica, take the new recruits and show them the grounds, make sure everyone is aware of medical station locations. Rose, Finn, I need you both overseeing the arsenal, make sure everyone has something they can control, use your better judgment."

The rest of the room scurried off, some following Poe, others following Chewie and Flora, with Rose and Finn close behind. It was only shortly after when Leia turned to Rey and Ben.

"I'm sure you two can find a suitable job for yourselves..." Leia said in a hushed tone. Ben's brow quirked as both he and Rey watched as Leia's hand dove into her pocket and pulled out a key, reaching towards Ben's hands and uncuffed him, letting the mechanism fall to the ground.

Slowly, Leia's gaze moved from the floor and up to meet her son's eyes, taking care to study his features. He reminded her so much of Han. Ever since he was a baby, he always shared that with his father. Tall, dark, handsome, and always up to something.

The thought made her smile as her heart ached.

With a sigh, Leia shook her head and reach into the inside of her cloak, carefully grasping the weapon in her hand before pulling it out and looking down to it.

Rey, Ben, and Leia all looked to see her holding Ben's lightsaber, a weapon that once tormented her own people, and now, would hopefully help them.

With only a small hesitation, she held it out to him.

"Please... Just help us win this thing." She begged of him in a whisper, letting him gently take the lightsaber before she turned and left, R2-D2 and BB-8 following behind with a few encouraging beeps.

The room eventually cleared, leaving Ben and Rey alone.

Ben hadn't noticed the growing anxiety building within Rey until now, and it became the only thing he could focus on, the newly re-acquired lightsaber in his hand nearly forgotten.

"It'll be okay." He said with a nod.

His voice caused her to look up at him, and she bit her lip to keep the words from tumbling out. She didn't need to say anything though. He knew she was scared.

Clipping his lightsaber to his hip, he reached up to her face, gently catching her chin before brushing her cheek with the pad of his thumb, similar to what she did to him earlier.

He wished he could take away all of her worries, and he wanted to tell her that no one would be hurt doing this, that everyone would make it out okay...But he couldn't. He wouldn't lie...Not to her.

The energy around them was hazy with frenetic static that almost fogged his own mind...

She was thinking too much, and too negatively.

"Rey." He called to steady her. In a rush, he let his force signature embrace her, grasping at every corner in order to calm her, to let her know that she's okay and that she isn't alone. Ben watched her eyes drift close, accepting every bit of comfort he was providing.

She hated to seem so weak...

But she couldn't help it. The time that they were preparing for was finally here, a judgment for both sides to answer to, and all she wanted was to protect the ones she had grown to love so much, and that included Ben and his mother.

Taking a step closer to her, Ben held her face in both hands, leaning down to meet her eyes dead on, and she moved her hands over his, finding more comfort in his warmth, a reminder that he was actually here with her.

Slowly, she settled down.

"I am going to help you, Rey. I'm going to help you save them..."

His words meant more to her than anything else had, knowing how hard it must have been to say out loud, knowing that he would never come close to lying to her.

Holding back tears that threatened to spill, Rey closed her eyes and gave a small, short nod before moving to kiss him, every moment seen by Leia who watched from the side entrance, having answered a silent call to come back and realizing why that was now, warmth spreading through the old woman's heart before she turned to take her leave.

( x )

Night came far too soon.

But they had truly come together, and made it a solid plan...

Hux wouldn't fail falling into it, every time.

Old and new faces all gathered around outside, heads turned up towards the sky as they waited for the arrival of their enemies.

Rey glanced around to each of them as she went to join Ben at the forefront of the field, all eyes on her.

She met Ben's gaze for a moment, and the pair stood there in the night, the moon lighting the way towards the forest beyond them, small fires set here and there beyond the reach.

Leia watched from the top floor of their bunker, marveling at the power couple that seemed to be speaking to each other's minds.

'I love you Ben, with everything I have.' Rey thought to him.

Without any hesitation, her bonded answered her as he gazed lovingly at her, but his body gearing into a fighting stance.

'Even in death, my heart is yours.'

In only a heartbeat after his words spoke to her mind, the grand ship belonging to the First Order burst into sight, settling in its place after hyper speed before its smaller ships followed.

In synch, Ben and Rey's lightsabers blared to life, eager for the fight.

And just as their sabers raged on, so did the force.

( X )

Author's Notes:

Guys.

There are not enough words to use in my apology for keeping you all waiting. I'm terribly sorry. I absolutely hate it when story's are just left with no explanation, and it was not my intentions at all.

I was in a major funk that I won't even get in to, but I am crawling back out of it and am committing to closing out this story before Thanksgiving, hopefully sooner than that.

Thank you all for continuing to read this story and still leaving comments or messaging me to check in. I love you all endlessly, and I hope you like the last few chapters of Steady On.

BTW:

That last trailer = Me, dead.

Again, thank you all, and I love you.


	66. Chapter 66

She wanted to be a star.

With millions of yellow grained sands surrounding her,

She gazes up at the night above her,

Worshipping the unknown

Since she was just a child -

She wanted, oh, so badly, to be the sparkling dust in the sky.

( x )

In the blink of an eye, Rey was drawn back from her childish memories as she shockingly realized that the distant lights in the sky were not stars, but more ships that were piloted by members of the First Order, people that wanted to bring an end to those surrounding her, to kill them and let their legacies lay within the dirt.

Her heart clenched at the thought, and she could feel the blood rush to her ears with anger, so quick that it nearly made her dizzy. The grip on her lightsaber grew tighter.

In the far distance of the field, if she squinted her eyes, she could see their first landfall; A large space warship delivering AT-AT's, the first steps of the monstrous bots shaking the ground.

From above, TIE-fighters screeched loudly as they came closer, bolts of red and green piercing the air as they began their attack, forcing Resistance members to dodge the shots and readjust their positions.

"Hold!" Leia's voice rang in, clear and stern.

At the command, Rey's heartbeat began to pound painfully within her chest, and she could hear Ben's breathing hitch, his own agitation strumming along the rhythm that is the force.

More ships burst into their view, appearing out of nowhere with the help of traveling through light speed, just as the TIE-fighters came around for another blow.

"Steady!" Leia called again, her eyes black and hard as she tried to focus on the sight in the distance, making out the shapes of heavily armed Stormtroopers marching their way to the base, with First Order speeders passing them with ease.

The air stilled, the large group's breathing hitched as they anxiously readjusted their weapons, a few cries in the distance as more shots were blasted from the air, this time, redirected with the help of Ben.

The sudden movement of Ben's outstretched arm made everyone jump as he channeled the force to redirect the blasts into the other TIE-fighters, causing two of the spacecrafts to crash into one another, and fall to the ground.

"Hold..." Leia repeated, watching as the First Order fleet grew closer, and closer...

To the right of the bunker, Poe turned to glance a worried look towards to Leia, who only held a single finger up to him, a crease appearing on her forehead as her brows drew together, watching the sight on the field.

She took a quick moment to feel the energy surrounding her, worried about her timing, second guessing herself so much that she nearly considered surrendering...

But the thought was gone in an instant, just as fast as it had appeared right when she felt a steady wave course through her veins, a sure sign that it was time.

Opening her eyes, Leia caught a glimpse of the ships closing in on their base, and their troopers making fast footwork of closing the distance, their blasters triggering off, trying to break through the shields that surrounded them.

In the dark sky above, the last ship flew in from lightspeed, an Imperial shuttle she was more than sure carried none other than General Hux.

With everything she could muster up, Leia spoke as loudly as she could, a single word that was to trigger their plan.

"Now!"

On cue, Poe turned back to the field, repeating the command so that all could hear.

As practiced, the line of men set fire to farthest trench, drawing a line to halt any troopers that tried to pass, and the flames on the ground also cued Chewie to start up the flight control sequence, guiding the pilots that were waiting out of orbit to now approach from above.

Rey and Ben watched as several X wings appeared in the far distance above the First Order warships, catching the enemy off guard as the TIE fighters flying towards the base had to abruptly pull back and round back to the main shuttle, set to protect its leader at all costs.

With the ship's attention elsewhere, all Resistance members on the ground began their work.

Colored blasts flew through the air, aimlessly fired through the flames in hopes of reaching the Resistance members, who returned fire all the same.

Rey began to run towards the troopers on the other side of the fire, easily deflecting their shots with her ignited saber, face scrunched up with determination.

Ben followed alongside her, his long legs achieving the same distance without having to run. He watched as she growled with a huff, before getting close to the ground, her palm stretched towards the dirt as she pushed off of it with the force, launching her into the air to jump over the flames and impale her saber through the trooper within her reach.

With the force, he pulled a stormtrooper to him, directly though the flames and into his saber before tossing the white armored body to the side.

To the far-right end of the field, he noticed First Order grounded ships making their way past the flames and heading straight to the base, it's shots successfully taking out a few members that peeked over the trench shields.

With a look back to Dameron, Ben made sure the man saw the ships and was satisfied when they were taken out by the large anchored blasters that protected the small building that now held his mother.

With a clenched jaw, Ben focused back on the field in front of him, seeing that the plan was working well so far; The armed Resistance members that hid within the forest were now making their way out and were ambushing the Stormtroopers on the ground, joining Rey in taking down as many forces as they could, all while the air was occupied, now with Chewie and Finn taking control in the Falcon and trying to take down the three AT-AT's.

With a wave of his hand, Ben rolled the flames away from his path as he jumped over the lit trench and immediately engaged his saber with a doubled edged electric prod, held by a trooper of the same size as him. Their weapons clashed, and with a kick to the man's abdomen, Ben sent him to his knees before disarming him and ending the man's life with a single swing.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Rey was carrying herself very well, her small frame giving her the ability to move quickly from one enemy to the next.

With a deep breath and a crack of his neck, Ben delved into the fight.

( X )

They fought endlessly, the flames around them lapping into the air, as if cheering on the Resistance to fight harder, and to move quicker.

It shocked Rey, just how easy it was for everyone to work together, to protect one another.

And just as much, it shattered Rey to see how many losses they had endured, new and familiar faces lay lifeless around the fields, bringing hot, angry tears to her eyes.

She had no idea how much time had passed, no idea if her close friends were okay.

But here, in the dirty, bloody field, she had Ben.

His tall, dark clad body fought hard beside her, often times serving as her protector as she fought off more Stormtroopers that rolled in, their training together proving their strengths.

Above them, ship after ship was taken down with the help of Poe and Chewie as they covered the sky, leading some fighter's away, and sometimes even playing a game of chase before Poe guided his team into leading First Order flagships into a trap after switching positions with Finn on the ground.

The numbers were dwindling for the First Order, and it was astonishing to see.

"Rey!"

A friend's voice called.

Rey swung around to see Finn running to her, his vest torn to bits, covered in dirt and bleeding from his brow and lip.

She could only guess she looked the same; bloody, dirty, and exhausted.

The healed bones from her fight on Cinnon'Ra seemed to ache more than ever, and she could feel blood trickling down from her ear where a white-armored trooper bashed into her before she had the chance to out maneuver him only moments ago, until she channeled the force to push him so far into the forest that she had no doubt killed him on impact.

Blinking hard, Rey focused back on Finn, trying to push away her throbbing headache.

"Finn, you're alright?" Rey asked, relieved, though still needing to check and make sure that he was real, that he wasn't part of some allusion conjuring up in her mind from all the bloodshed she'd seen tonight.

"Yes, yes we're fine. Poe sent an update; There's no more First Order ships in orbit."

The news sunk in, but Rey knew it would be a long time before an end was in sight.

"How many are left?" She asked, her eyes wide as she looked beyond his shoulder to see more of their people clashing with other troopers in the distance. Her heartbeat sped up, eager to assist.

"Two AT-AT's and three ships, including Hux."

Rey's chest rose and fell, her mind racing with thoughts of a plan to make it work.

"Our firepower is dying out, Lando's team is making fall shortly, I don't think we'll have much air support aft-"

Before Finn could finish, a blaster aimed at Rey went off, skimming her elbow, forcing her to drop her saber and hitting a nearby tree.

Gasping, Rey hissed with pain as she cupped her bloody elbow, just as Finn turned to try and fight the tall man off, though the man easily disarmed Finn's raised blaster and knocked him to his back against the ground.

Rey looked up with a painful wince, too focused on the sight to think clearly, to think of using the force. She watched as the man raised a double-edged seer knife above Finn, and before the man could complete his task in bringing it down through Finn's chest, a large, red lightsaber pierced through the man's back and directly through his chest.

Finn yelled in shock as he saw Ben appear and save him, tossing the troopers body to the side. Ben, who now towered over Finn, looked down at him and Finn could not help but feel reminded of their time on Starkiller Base, fighting for each other's deaths in the snow.

With wide eyes he watched Ben; Tall, muddy, and covered in blood, though it didn't seem to be his own...

With a clenched jaw Ben hesitated a moment, debating about offering the former stormtrooper a hand... Right before Rey appeared at his side.

"Ben!" She exclaimed, still shocked, but relieved. She quickly bent to help Finn up to his feet.

Finn dusted himself off, picking up his blaster and Rey's lightsaber before handing it back to her and awkwardly turned to Ben. "Um..." he grumbled, refusing to thank his former leader.

Ben, feeling awkward as well, merely gave a slight nod.

Finn looked up to the sky, reminded of why he was out this far on the field.

"The ships! They took the others down! But now..." He squinted. "Now it-"

"Hux's shuttle is still there. And two AT-AT's." Ben said, already scoping out the field.

"We can't provide any more air support-"

"We'll have to figure out a way before Hux tries to escape." Rey assumed, igniting her saber as Ben looked to her.

Her mind raced for alternatives, and she couldn't help but feel lost for a moment, wishing so badly that Master Luke was there, to provide answers or guidance, even if it were hints in the right direction...

Testing the force, and she wasn't sure why, but she reached for him, a ghost in her mind, but a pin in the force.

No matter how hard she tried, he never answered.

He was home...

Wherever home was for him... And where was home for her?

Like a switch, her mind eased the fog out, as the answer became painfully clear.

( X )

She'd lived in one of these things all her life.

If Hux ever did the proper research, he would have known, and he would have had a better plan than to rely on these monstrous machines to provide protection for himself.

'Oh, AT's and their blind spots...' Rey thought.

( X )

He wondered if they knew.

… If these women and men in white armored suits knew they were fighting their rightful leader, if some of them wanted revenge on him, or maybe on Hux.

It was an odd thing to experience, fighting off the people he once kept in line, and now defending the people he once swore to ruin.

It was easy, in his mind, in some foreign way. No one would understand. Only a monster, like him. These weren't 'people' to him, it never was when it came to combat. It was quite simple, kill or be killed, and he was a man that knew how to survive.

So, when it came to knocking the enemy off their feet, or delivering a crushing blow to the side of a white helmet, and even, most times, driving the end of his lightsaber through the chest of his once sworn protectors, Kylo Ren always survived.

What was different, however, was having someone to protect, and someone to protect him.

As much as he'd like to think he was absolutely untouchable, that was not the case all the time. Only moments ago, he'd escaped the grasp of two large men that pinned him down once disarming him, crushing his skull into the dirt while a third man approached, a large machete like sword held above him in both hands.

Kylo seethed, his head pounding away as the breath was forced from him by one of the men's boots to his throat. His eyes, shamefully, widened only the tiniest bit as he felt panic rush through him, a rare feeling he hadn't experienced in quite some time.

In that moment, he was too exhausted to conjure the force, his head pounding so much that his mind didn't even form the idea to throw them off.

Before he could react though, he watched the third man's body split in two and falling to the floor, only to reveal a shocked Rey, who watched the horrific deal play out in front of her.

Breathlessly, the three men, including Kylo, watched equally shocked.

A man of opportunity, Kylo quickly shook it off and finally came to his senses, using the force to crush one of the trooper's windpipes and throwing the other back, so far that even he could not see where his body ended up landing.

Rey, looking defeated and tears pooling the rims of her eyes, watched her beloved with fallen shoulders.

Without taking his eyes off of Rey, Kylo got to his feet, calling his saber to his hand.

'Rey...' his mind gently called to her, her name taking a chunk of warmth and comfort from him.

How could his whole world still lie in her hands, with fire and chaos erupting all around him? He'd never understand it. It would always, simply, be.

'It's okay... I'm okay.' She spoke back, blinking away her tears as she turned, running to stop another Stormtrooper from bringing death to her friend.

It was only minutes later when they lost each other once again, until he'd stumbled upon both Rey and Finn in the start of the forest, arriving just in time to save Finn's life.

And now, here they were, at the feet of the nearest AT-AT, the belly of the beast.

( X )

With a huff, Rey turned to the two men beside her, Ben and Finn, still surprised to see them so near one another, but now was not the time to dwell on it.

"Finn," Rey calls over her shoulder as she wraps her legs around the side of the AT-AT's own leg, beginning to climb to the underbelly of the machine. It began to move, big, slow swings of its limb as it pressed forward towards the base.

Rey clung tight as Finn moved to follow her on the ground, peering up to Rey as Kylo fended off a few more troopers.

"Finn, I need you to stay with Ben and help cover. I'm going to gut this thing as best as I can!" Rey yelled down to them, still climbing.

The uneasy feeling that Finn held in his stomach began to crawl its way upward, feeling nauseas at the thought of Rey being at such a height with no guard or protection.

As if on cue, a blaster went off in the distance, a piercing red shot clipping Finn's ear right before Kylo's hand shot out, freezing the blast and deflecting it back to the trooper before it could hit the tall leg that Rey was climbing on.

Kylo hissed as Finn let out a gasp and a curse before running towards the limb, head turned up to check on Rey.

Finn's voice rang out, though he wasn't talking to Rey.

"I'm not going to thank you."

The statement made Kylo roll his eyes before igniting his saber to fend off another straggler, Finn quickly turning and holding his blaster up, pointed directly at the front of the trooper's helmet, only to place the gun back down to his hip as Kylo easily discarded the body to the side.

"Finn, come in" Poe's voice rang through the portable com unit on Finn's shoulder. He reached for it instantly, thumb on the button to answer the call. "Yeah, Poe! I'm here."

"Buddy, we can't take much more, the base is falling apart! Those AT's are hitting us hard; we have to retreat!" Poe yelled through the static. Finn's eyes widened as he filled with panic, palms sweating and mixing with the dirt on his hands.

"Poe, try to hold there as long as you can! Rey has a plan, and if it goes well-" Finn is interrupted by more blaster fire, and is forced to duck and scream the rest of his message out as Kylo presses forward, deflecting shots with his saber and force choking another trooper. "If all goes well, we'll get the AT's out the way, but we'll have more troops to take care of-"

Another blast, this time, hitting Finn's communicator out of his hand, and Finn yells at the pain in his now bleeding and throbbing hand. With anger, Finn stands up, his own blaster drawn as he points it at the man that shot him and fires, killing him instantly.

From the corner of his eye, he spots another Stormtrooper approaching Kylo from the side, and quickly shoots him to the ground, making Kylo's head whip around. He looks to Finn, and purses his lips, the closest to a 'Thank you' that he'd offer.

Above them, Rey hangs on with her dear life as the AT-AT begins to move again, and as both men look up, they see groups of wires sticking out from a control panel in the underbelly of the machine.

The AT-AT's foot plants into the ground, the sudden jolt causes Rey to lose her footing, and she hangs from a single wire that begins to shoot sparks, and the large machine begins to sputter, skipping and tripping over itself all while shaking the ground.

Kylo repositioned his footing, as Finn had to catch his balance. His head whipped around to Kylo, watching with wide eyes as the black-clad man took two large steps with his arms spread out, just in time to catch Rey as she fell.

He felt his heart freeze, and his mind told him to reach for his blaster before anything could happen, but he continued watching while the ground shook, as Rey and Kylo shared a longing look as he set her down.

Rey quickly fell back into the swing of things, tossing a quick glance to the AT-AT before looking to Finn. "Move!"

Without needing any other encouragement, the three ran from the AT-AT, only to be spotted by several Stormtroopers that re-directed their fire to them as they dove for cover behind a large boulder in the field.

Behind them though, the loud screeching of rust and metal rubbing against itself pierced the air around them, and it seemed to Rey that every breathing thing on the field and in the forest froze as they watched the scene before them.

The AT-AT that Rey had gutted began to fail, slowly tipping over and knocking into the other AT on its side, falling to the ground with a large 'thud' that sent dust and dirt flying around the machines, right as a large explosion caused pieces to go flying everywhere.

Rey began to smile, yet froze as she watched the explosion hit the only aircraft left in the sky; Hux's ship.

The ship tried to dodge the hit, but failed as it spun out of control and erupted in flames as it tries to regain control, but it was too late. The ship whirred and sputtered as it crash-landed into the middle of the forest, far from the eyes of the Stormtroopers and the Resistance members.

In the far distance, Rey could hear her friends cheering, and it almost made her smile. To her side, Kylo rose to his feet, his eyes dead set into the dark, tree-covered forest as he deflected blaster shots from the remaining Stormtroopers.

Rey gulped.

"Should... Should we-" Finn begun to ask, his eyes also following Kylo before he completely disappeared in the darkness of the forest.

Rey was already shaking her head, an odd feeling creeping up her spine and causing her hands to sweat.

They were almost to the end, almost there...

She glanced around the boulder quickly, trying to get a glimpse of how many members of the First Order were still there.

Though there weren't any more ships, nor AT-AT's, the troopers on the ground still held quite a big number compared to the Resistance, but she was sure, almost positive, that they could take them.

"Go back the base and have everyone defend it, we're almost there. Give them the update, don't let anyone venture out too far. I'll be back with Ben shortly."

And before Finn could protest, Rey shot to her feet and ran as quickly as she could into the forest, giving Finn a chance to make it back as she drew the oncoming fire to her.

With a leap and her trust in hope, Rey jumped and wrapped herself around a tree, quickly climbing it and disappearing herself, leaving the troopers firing aimlessly into the dark.

( X )

He was almost there.

He could practically smell Hux's fear, and he could hear the crackle and pop of the nearby fire.

He wasn't running.

No, he knew what awaited him, and he knew Hux had no other place to go.

And so, he took his time, each step now long, but slow as he held his ignited saber in his right hand, and his left balled into a fist at his side.

He could feel his hair matted down by sweat, sticking to his forehead as his breathing became ragged with anticipation for this fight.

Approaching the scene, he took it in.

The ship was in pieces, having crashed into a tree that lodged in between where the console would have been, which only made it form into a bigger fire. Kylo noticed several other bodies lying in different positions in the clearing, unconscious and more than likely dead at this point.

Briefly, he wondered if Hux survived, but he quickly got his answer.

In the midst of the ruin, a bloody Hux stumbled out of from the inside of the ship, limping and clutching his ribcage, drops of blood dripping from his inner eye and nostrils.

They locked eyes for a moment, and Hux looked as though he was going to beg for his life, to offer meaningless apologies and promises that he could no longer keep.

But it was too late now.

Hux's face went from sorrowful and fearful, and turned into a snarl.

Without any words, Hux raised a hidden blaster, aiming at Kylo, who noticed the orange-haired man trembled as held the weapon.

Using the force, Kylo called the gun to his hand, and crushed it, letting the pieces fall to the ground all while never taking his eyes off of him.

The snarl stuck though, even though the tears that now fell from his eyes, from frustration and hatred.

"We had everything! Snoke gave you everything!" Hux yelled, spit flying as the flames grew behind him.

Kylo stepped closer, and Hux continued.

"You were never enough! You were never stronger than me! That's why you did this! Because you're just a scared brat-" Hux huffs to catch his breath before going on. "We could have been great! We could have brought order to this galaxy! But you were weak! You were always so weak-"

Hux's tantrum disappeared into a huff as Rey dropped down from a tree above, softly landing onto a tall boulder behind Kylo, who paid no mind to her.

Hux sneered as he watched her, shaking his head as she knelt down, watching.

"And yet, you choose this? You throw it all away, over a worthless desert rat!"

Kylo Ren, the true Supreme Leader of the would-have-been First Order, stalked closer, closing in on Armitage Hux with a slow ease that chilled Rey's spine.

Those were the last words spoken by the man.

Rey thought she should have been disgusted by the game, or maybe felt remorse for the lives lost tonight. She guessed she should have been eager to get back to the fight, though her bones ached and her head throbbed.

But in this moment, she couldn't help but feel a thrill at the sight and feeling, as her ears tuned out the screaming.

The flames warmed her skin, and the excitement flooded her as she watched her bonded bring an end to this war.

And in the nature of war, and in the unspoken side of the force, she felt the power course her veins, watching the predator hunt his prey.

( X )

They didn't speak as they made their way back.

There weren't words, and there wasn't a need to say anything.

All they could do was truly finish this, and that was by either destroying whoever else tried to continue the fight of this war, or letting them answer for their crimes.

Either way, there was still work to be done, and Armitage Hux could no longer bring death to those of the Resistance, or any other beings that lived in this galaxy for that matter.

Approaching the large field, Kylo and Rey both looked over the scene before them; The fires were out, more than likely from the wind that was getting heavier and heavier, and there were so many bodies scattered around, white armor appearing through black dirt and soot, and expensive fabrics that Rey was sure only came from Naboo.

Her heart ached at the sight, so many lives lost, so many people that were just caught up in this war without a say. She wished they could all see the end of the destruction, to see the day when it was clear, and no worries had to be suffered through about surviving to the next day.

She wanted to go back, to place herself in every position in order to save the lives that were lost... But there was no going back, and this, she had to accept.

Blinking away the tears, Rey focused once more. There were still Stormtroopers on the field, a good number of them still fighting, unaware that their leader's life has been ended, and that their cause has failed.

From beside her, Kylo watched her face, waiting for her to make a move, eager to follow her and protect her, always.

His heart was no longer racing, and he felt as though a burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

He didn't expect anyone to understand it. Both of them shared a history that went deeper than words, deeper than some friendly game. They were never friends, they were never brothers, never teammates. They sole existence was to try and out do the other, to prove themselves better than the other, pitted against one another from the start.

He wondered, just for a quick moment, if they would have ever been friends in another life time...

Focusing back on Rey, Hux's last words repeated themselves in his mind, and he nearly laughed now, at the thought of having someone to call a friend, and having that person be someone like Hux.

Timidly, before they had to return to the fight, Kylo reached for Rey's hand, wrapping his hand around hers carefully, feeling her exhaustion twirl with his.

"What he said... about..." His voice croaked out, rough and low.

"Choosing a worthless desert rat?" Rey finished, and Kylo glanced to her face, expecting to see anything else but the small smile that played on her lips.

"Yes... I... I would do it, Rey. I'd do it all over again, in every lifetime... I'd always choose you."

The soft, gentle words that filled her ears in the midst of this madness, in the midst of this darkness, gave her so much light.

Smiling, and blushing beneath her sweat, blood and tears, Rey's eyes fell to his chest as she brought their hands to her bruising cheek, wordlessly asking for comfort that he easily offered, brushing his thumb against cheek.

"I love you, Ben. In every lifetime, I will always love you."

Closing her eyes, she decided to live in the moment for just a second longer before opening them once more, nodding to him.

He returned it with a single, curt nod, and turned to begin making their way back to the base, their lightsabers ready to defend what remained of their home.

( X )

She felt herself slipping, her exhaustion winning.

She couldn't give up.

No, this desert rat refused.

( X )

The pair fought their way back, so eagerly this time that it made their aggression come out even more. Every time she moved, he moved, and when he would swing, she would duck, just the same when her double-edged saber would swing, he would side step just enough to get out of her way.

They worked together, protecting one another.

It would be like that, always. He was sure of it.

( X )

They finally made it back near the base, just on the outskirts, but still close enough for Rey to reach out through the force and assure herself that Leia, Chewie, and Flora were all okay.

She didn't trust anyone else to protect Leia than those two, and she was happy with her instincts right now as she knelt to the ground, dirt grinding into her skin as she tried to catch her breath.

Kylo knelt to the ground too, breathing hard but trying not to show.

To the side of their base, he watched as a line of Stormtroopers were being cuffed and escorted away from the remaining troops on the field that still wanted to fight.

He shut his eyes, hard, for just a moment to try and regain his senses.

As he did this, the tiny hairs along his neck rose, and he stilled to focus on where the energy came from.

Feeling his shock, Rey glanced to him with wide eyes, droplets of rain hitting her face as thunder roared in the distance.

"Rey! Ben!" Leia called to them from the front of the base entrance.

It all happened in slow motion, and their movements felt sluggish as they tried to stop it all from happening.

Both Kylo and Rey shot up to their feet, Rey's feet moving in front of the other fast and heavy as she tried to push Leia back with the force, just as Flora appeared and shielded the General.

A blaster shot off several times as Rey turned to see Kylo step in front of two Stormtroopers that appeared from the dark smoke that surrounded them.

One shot rang in the air, then two more.

Rey ducked, covering her ears before looking back up with her teeth bared.

Kylo stood there, with his back to her, as one trooper fell to the ground, and the other's bones were heard crushing against one another before he, too, fell.

"Ben!" Rey yelled to him, stepping forward, waiting for him to turn, or to duck, anything.

And he did, slowly, just as he stumbled and tried to catch himself.

His eyes looked for her, always, always looked for her.

Rey's eyes widened as he turned, her mouth slowly falling open. She didn't know if she screamed, or someone else did. She couldn't hear anything but the faint buzzing of their bond, pulsating, and painfully slowly, beginning to close off.

Her legs seemed to weigh a ton as she moved to him, screaming his name, her arms reaching for him while her eyes teared up, panic filling every corner of her being.

Blaster fire ceased, and shuffling could be heard behind her.

But she couldn't pay attention to any of that.

None of it mattered, not anymore.

Thunder shook the ground beneath her feet, and lightning rolled through the sky as heavy drops began to pour down.

Kylo's eyes locked onto her, just as his leg bucked beneath him. She looked scared, he realized... And then the pain flared. Slowly, he looked down towards his chest, soaked with blood directly in the middle of his abdomen.

He'd been shot. He thought... He thoug-

He tried to focus, tried to blink the excruciating pain away as he started to fall, unable to gulp, or swallow. This was different than any other time, more panful, more severe...

He couldn't feel the force anymore...Couldn't feel... Couldn't feel her...

He heard a scream in the distance, his birth name... It was Rey, his... his Rey...

Rey's arms tangled around him, unable to catch him, but softened his fall as best she could as her heart raced on and on.

Behind her, Chewie roared to someone, saying it isn't safe.

"No- No, move! It's Ben!" Leia shouted, forcing her way past those that began to crowd the front entrance of the base, slowly making their way out.

As Leia stepped out, her eyes fell on Rey, who hovered over Ben's body in the heavy rain.

Her hand dropped the cane she was leaning on, and she made her way to them as fast as she could as she whipped her other arm out the grasp of Poe.

"It's my son!" She cried. "It's my boy!"

Rey's cheeks were wet, from both the rain and from her tears as she looked at his face, moving strands out from his eyes. He was barely breathing now, and all she could do was panic.

Moving to sit on her knees, she quickly examined his wound, though it was too much of a mess to see. She gripped the bottom of his black tunic and moved it up carefully, exposing his open wound; Bloody, torn, and jagged skin appeared, worse than she thought.

Rey gasped a shocked sob as he trembled a small shake, his body already giving up the fight.

"R...Rey," He whispered.

By now, the entire Resistance was outside in the rain, watching the scene in front of them with open mouths, and intense looks as they saw how close Rey got to the man they had all deemed "Monster" and "Killer".

Her friends watched with the same look, though Rose and Flora's heart began to break for Rey.

The rest of the field, filled with Stormtroopers still holding on for the fight, paused as they too, watched the man they had once served, realizing their own leader was nowhere in sight.

It was the end, they realized. And there was no longer a need to fight...

No purpose to be served, other than to just breathe and live, for the first time in their lives.

One by one, they hesitantly dropped their weapons, and shortly their helmets, too.

Rey internally screamed for the force, and placed her hand over Ben's forehead and his wound, trying to call out to her teachings, trying to muster up the force as Ben once had in order to heal her.

She had achieved it in training... Was she too exhausted to do so now?

"No, no, no..." Rey hissed with tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

Shutting her eyes painfully tight, she tried to reach out again, trying to reach the force, trying to reach Luke, or Chirrut.

No one answered this time, except the very voice belonging to the person she was trying so desperately to save.

'In every lifetime...' he spoke to her mind.

Opening her eyes, she looked up to Ben's face, just as his last breath left his body, and the eyes of her bonded, of her chosen, of her friend and lover, closed for the last time.

( X )

The sky seemed grayer than ever before, and though it was raining, droplets seemed to fall soundlessly. Smoke filled the air, a small reminder of the war that raged on through the night, and into the morning.

There was no longer dark, or light, nor was there good or evil.

Right now, on this field, there were just people who were affected by this war, and now, they lived in the same world, no longer divided by this side or that.

General Leia Organa made the first move as she felt Ben's life force give out, her own heart wrenching within her chest as she silently sobbed, wishing so badly to be comforted by Han's embrace.

Stepping forward, she reached a frail hand out, and cupped Rey's shoulders as the young girl wept, her shoulders shaking violently with every loud sob, the only thing everyone could hear on the field of rain and war.

Slowly, the other's followed suit, Chewie being the first to cup Leia's shoulder, and Rose and Finn next. The same motion repeated for a long while, until each member of the Resistance now touched one another; a hand on the shoulder, or their hand in the other's, all connected as one.

Their presence was felt all the way back through Leia's hand that was still placed on Rey's shoulder as she cried, cupping the sides of Ben's face.

Rey tearfully placed a kiss on Ben's lips, as if that alone would bring him back, but the cold truth lay in her arms as she pressed her forehead to his, and again, tried to sink herself in to the arms of the force.

( X )

No one raised a weapon, in fact, all weapons were now discarded in the dirt as the rest of what remained of the First Order crowed around on the opposite side of the field, still watching the events fold out.

They did not touch another, as the Resistance did, nor did they shed any tears or give in to their shock. But they did realize that Kylo Ren was still their leader at one point, and a far better one than Armitage Hux ever could be, and for that, he had their respect.

No, they would not touch or press their presence forward...

Instead, they knelt.

( X )

Author's Notes:

Myyy goodness. Thank you for reading this thus far! I really hope you liked this chapter. I didn't want to get into too much of the war scenes, because I'm sure you could imagine, war is never pretty.

Leave me some love, and I'll give you guys the bestest chapter to close out this story! Already working on it, so it shouldn't be a long wait at all.

Thank you for reading, and I'm sorry for ugly crying while I wrote this.

xox


	67. Chapter 67

Ladies and gentlemen, the finale of 'Steady On'.

( X )

Numb, and out of breath.

That's all she felt.

She'd never known this kind of heartbreak existed... She had never known she could feel this much, other than the love she held for him...

( X )

Deep within the galaxy, darkness grew, powered by a single, broken heart. Growing, and growing, and growing...

( X )

She didn't know how much time had passed, and she wasn't concerned enough to think about it.

It all had felt so unreal, like she wasn't actually here, wasn't actually experiencing this loss.

By now, she sat in a dark, cold room, only a foot away from Ben's body that now rested on top of a long table, placed in the middle of the room.

The dust and the dirt in the air seemed frozen its place, as if trying to avoid the dark bubble that surrounded Rey.

She felt it all, she felt the darkness entangling within her, soaking her skin and poisoning her blood, and it dawned on her, that this was the dark side, the power and hatred she was being drowned in. Others, she knew, would have ran from it, and for a long time, she did too... but here she sat, finding comfort in it as it distracted her from her pain...

A sudden knock on the door tore her away from the dark she began to delve into, and for a moment, Rey took it as a sign to not go down that path... But the positivity vanished as her eyes sadly went back to Ben's frozen face, tears brimming her swollen, red eyes.

"Hey," Poe said softly to her, standing in the doorway. He watched his friend while she remained mute and still, not taking any chances to look at him, still waiting for a miracle with Ben Solo.

He inhaled slowly, and gulped down everything he was feeling; Confusion, sorrow, disappointment. He wasn't sure which he felt more at this point.

Silence set between them for a long moment, as he shuffled his feet, he wasn't sure what to say.

After a while, he cleared his throat and moved to go sit next to Rey on the broken, stone bench, nudging her shoulder softly.

"The rest of the First Order surrendered, Rey. You did it... You both did it..." He said in a low whisper.

He didn't get any response, and he wasn't really expecting one in the state she was in, so he continued. "We sent a team out to investigate the wreckage... Ended up finding a bunch of those crates with the weapons you experienced on Naboo...None of them were used... Leia suspects Hux wasn't aware of that..."

To his side, Rey remained silent, though she listened distantly, and his statement made her wonder.

Had Hux's troopers sabotaged him? Had they given up the fight long before they were set to end the war? In the end, she guessed they realized it was either kill, or be killed.

She wasn't sure, but she wished she would have known...

Again, she felt the darkness take over...

She would have known, if she was a better Jedi... If the force was actually on her side...

"Rey...I..." Poe struggled, trying to find the words, trying to sort out what it was he was feeling. "I didn't know... I can't understand it, really... Why you chose him,"

As Poe spoke, Rey continued studying Ben's face, as if she was waiting for the moment his long, dark lashes would open, and he'd turn his head and find her, as he always did, and would hold here in her place with his gaze alone.

She so desperately ached for it.

Not wanting to sob in front of Poe again, she turned her head, letting silent tears roll down her cheeks.

Rey never expected anyone to understand their relationship. It was complex, the two of them. It was divine, and raw, something more than words and deeper than love.

"Either way... I'm... I'm sorry, Rey... I'm sorry you lost someone that..." He forced a sigh. "That you cared for."

In a way, Rey understood why Poe struggled to get the words out.

But she couldn't bring herself to care, or to fight, or even thank him.

Eventually, Poe excused himself to go check on the others, and still, Rey didn't say a word, keeping quiet as hot, angry tears continued to fall.

She felt it then, as she began to hate the people that brought them here, began to curse them with vile words and a venomous tone.

She felt that black, cold hand brush over her, the hand that guided all dark things and energized that evil power. She felt it in her fingertips, could feel it color her eyes as she sat in the room that held the only thing that mattered now.

With the company of the dark side, she wept.

( X )

Pure anger was something Rey had encountered before.

But never, ever had it carried the weight of a broken heart.

( X )

Her face was still a mess with dried tears and sweat, dirt filling the creases and pores of her face as she sat there, willing the force to bend and break to her will.

Every time it refused, only fueled her anger more and more, until she could sense the walls trembling and the small particles of dust in the air avoid her with urgency.

Her hand lay on top of Ben's, stroking away and away, waiting for the motion to be returned... Waiting... Pleading...

Rey moved to bend forward, letting her forehead softly rest against the back of his hand as her eyes drifted close, and that's when she felt a hard jolt to her spine, as if she was provided an answer by a teacher that was losing their patience.

Her eyes opened then, slightly wide as her breathing grew ragged.

Her head turned slowly, casting a quick glance behind her, knowing there was not any one there, though she felt something cold and dark anyway...

Focusing back on Ben, she stood over him with her hand now cupping his cheek, feeling the presence around her.

The door began to open, and without a second thought, Rey's mind commanded it to shut tight as a small, fragile voice spoke up from the other side.

"Rey?" Leia called, concerned with tight emotion in her voice.

Again, her mind acted before she could think, and Rey's force locked the door just as her eyes closed again, feeling for Ben.

She'd been there before, in the space stuck between life and death, where the force resided and provided its peace.

No, she wasn't in danger, and she wasn't at risk of losing her life, nor was she already dead...

But she'd been there... She'd known that place...

And she was determined to find it again.

( X )

It wasn't sunny, nor dark here, but the skies were white and grey with light clouds surrounding the area as far as the eye could see, and the ground itself provided cushion with blades of grass.

The air was fresh, and awoke the senses more than the waves crashing below the high-top mountain he lay on.

Ben Solo began to awaken, blinking a few times, slowly, to try and recognize his surroundings, to try and realize what hurt more, only to discover that there was no pain.

Instantly, he sat up as he looked down at his abdomen, expecting sore spots, or at the very least, a few bandages.

But there was none. Instead, he saw dark, grey garb, similar to what he wore when he was just a padawan training with Luke.

His large hand slowly moved to touch the fabric, with his brows furrowed in confusion. He let it fall back against his lap as looked around, trying his best to gain control over the force and awake the rest of his senses, though he came to a halt when the force instead commanded him to remain calm.

Hesitantly, he stood up and glanced around, gazing far across the peaceful ocean for just a moment before taking a few steps forward, with a glance below him, Ben saw old, stone stairs cascading down onto a large, empty patio.

With a small gulp, and still on edge with the unknown, Ben made his way down, irritation growing as he felt the absence of his lightsaber.

Approaching the railing, he stood there as he again took in his surroundings; green moss grew on every other stone along the path, and vines followed the way of the railings, passing an empty table with a few chairs that seemed to have hosted guests not too long ago.

With a quirk of his brow, Ben tossed another glance behind him as the wind softly ruffled his hair.

With no one in sight, he took a moment to inhale the ocean breeze, allowing his shoulders to lose an inch of the tension they held.

He was still confused, and extremely lost, but the comfort of this place quieted his turmoil.

Was it the force? He continued to wonder.

His aches and pains were gone, without even a bruise to be felt... He knew he had been hurt... What had happened?

Slowly, the events began to replay in his mind in snippets; He felt his mother's presence approaching the field before he even heard her voice... The distraction caused him to miss the other trooper's shot before he took them down...And he remembered stumbling... and the pain searing his flesh and blood... And Rey...

At the thought of Rey, the tension returned instantly, realizing her presence was not anywhere near him.

With a shot of panic, his heel quickly turned to begin his search, however he abruptly stopped once he turned.

A man stood there, dressed in black, with his arms casually crossed against his chest as he smiled slyly at Ben.

Ben tested the force, trying to gain sense of who this man was, and where he'd come from, but it was as though the force was blocked now, and warming up to the person that watched him.

He took a step to the side, a fighting stance, making sure the stranger would not gain any advantage on his back.

The man chuckled, and it made Ben's hand ball into a fist at his side.

"I knew we were very much alike, but never could have guessed it was this much." The man nonchalantly stated with a grin, though the feature wasn't taunting or judging.

He seemed to be sincere, which threw Ben off even more.

Again, Ben looked to the sides of the stoned pathway, looking for any others, and came across no one as his eyes settled back on the man in front of him.

"Who are you?" Ben asked after a moment, studying the man's face as he leaned against a broken pillar, arms still crossed.

He smiled at Ben, making him wait before he spoke. "You sought me out for years, and now you don't know who I am?"

For a long while, Ben merely looked at him with an empty look, before his brows slowly knitted together as the realization settled in.

"You... You're-"

"Yes." Anakin Skywalker said a single, small nod.

After a second, Ben moved to kneel before him with his head hung low and eyes on the ground, however Anakin easily channeled the force to stop him, awkwardly pushing his grandson's leg back into a standing position. Gently, the force retracted.

"None of that." He stated.

Ben's mouth opened to speak, and closed with a second thought.

He wasn't sure what to say, and was extremely caught off guard by meeting the ghost he'd looked up to for so long.

At the long silence, Anakin's head tilted to the side. "What is it?"

Ben blinked and thought for a moment before he gulped.

"I... I'm not sure what to say. I... I always spoke to you, I asked for guidance..." With a sharp inhale at the memories, Ben took another moment to think. "It all seems so... meaningless now." He muttered while glancing away into the distance.

Anakin watched the younger man, pinpointing which features looked like his own, and realizing with a small twist in his heart that the boy shared the same eye color as Padme...

He gulped, just at the same time as Ben did. "It was never meaningless, the times you asked for guidance. I always heard, I was always with you, Ben. But it wasn't our time."

At that, Ben's eyes moved to meet his grandfather's. "And now is?" he asked.

With a small nod, Anakin answered, choosing to let Ben speak and find his own questions, rather than hound the boy right then and there.

So much emotion ran through Ben, so many questions fluttered his mind. His idol, the man that he aimed to follow for all his years, the man he was told he was destined to replace... Seemed so normal in this nature.

Ben knew he never expected his grandfather to show up in his suit and mask, but he wasn't sure what exactly he had pictured in its place.

"You and I, we are a lot more similar than just the attitude and sarcasm," Anakin moved past Ben, his eyes set on the ocean as a small smirk came to play at his lips. "and the good looks may I add."

With a sigh, Anakin continued. "Ask away. I can feel the turmoil. Do not be afraid to speak here."

Instinctively, Ben bit the corner of his inner lip before he spoke. "What is this place? What happened to me? I feel the force all around the land, but it doesn't allow me to call to it..."

Anakin softly chuckled at Ben's outpour. "It's a land where the force resides, made up of your own inner peace, an in-between, if you will."

Without a second to be wasted, Ben's mind worked to make sense of it. "Have I died?"

His eyes fell on the back of Anakin's head, watching a hard, eager look as his grandfather slowly turned, shifting from foot to foot before meeting gazes.

"Your physical body, yes."

The words shocked Ben.

The instant the words were spoken, pure panic and heartbreak followed, a deep ache to find Rey, to tell her he was okay, nearly made him double over.

Ben turned his back to Anakin, blinking a couple of times to bite back the tears that threatened to sting his eyes. To resist the pain he felt, he chose to bite his tongue, tasting blood almost instantly.

Watching his grandson as he felt the pain overtake him, Anakin chose to give him a moment to process before he spoke softly. "She's okay."

Again, another tear to Ben's heart, something that he hadn't felt so strongly since Han.

He placed a large hand on the stone railing, to steady himself and try to remember his surroundings. With a sharp inhale, his shoulders tried to straighten, only to fall with his heart.

"How... How did it happen?" Ben asked, his voice soft and quiet, as if he was whispering in hopes that Rey wouldn't hear.

He wondered if she was okay, if she mourned him, like he would of her if their roles were reversed. The thought made his spine tremble, his own body acting out in defiance of the chilling thought of losing her instead.

In a way, he supposed he did... But he found solace in the fact that she was breathing, that she was living, and that's all he wanted for her.

That's all he ever wanted for her...

"As one of her friends put it, you won by saving what you loved."

The statement brought stinging hot tears to Ben's eyes as he looked over the grey skies. He couldn't bring himself to ever do it again, he realized, to ever deny his love for Rey, and not even deny the love he still held for his mother.

With the realization, came self-loathing as his mind began to work fast at punishing himself, forcing his inner being to feel the torment that his mother must have felt when he took Han's life.

Yes, he decided, he deserved every bit of this – To die loving something so great, that he wouldn't be able to enjoy it when he had it.

With a quick rattle to his mind, he shook his head, knowing he enjoyed every single moment, and it was because of the light, the warmth sun that Rey had brought him back to, a new home to be shared and take comfort in.

A single tear spilled over and trailed down his cheek, and Ben didn't bother to wipe it away. Instead, he slowly looked to the floor, with a saddened chuckle escaping his lips, an odd sound to his own ears as immense grief took over him.

Suddenly, Ben felt a weighted softness cover his hand, and he slowly looked up, expecting to see his grandfather's comfort, however there was nothing there.

With a confused quirk of his brow, Ben glanced to his side, and still, found no one.

"It's okay, kid."

His father's voice rang through his mind, subtle, but firm.

The ghost of his own father flittered through him, making his heart race with urgency and panic as his head whipped around, needing to see his father, needing to talk to him, to apologize, even beg for forgiveness.

The urgent need for his father's comfort made Ben feel small, like a child crying for the arms of their parent... He couldn't even remember the last time he had ever felt that way, if ever.

Again, he felt his father's presence surrounding him, and with these final words echoing through his mind, Ben Solo's heart warmed with the comfort he sought, the only comfort his father would be capable of providing him in his time of need.

"We love you anyway, son. Always."

( X )

Anakin gave Ben a long while to get his thoughts in order, as much as he could anyway. He remembered being in the same state; Shocked, scared, confused, angry.

This in between land within the force wasn't ideal, but did bring peace eventually, as this peace surrounded them entirely.

With a sigh, Anakin began to make his way to Ben, who had now begun to walk up the stone stairway along the mountain.

"I have to find her." Ben said, his tone completely stern.

It brought a smile to Anakin's face.

"I said the same thing, once upon a time." He stated, causing Ben to stop mid-step. He turned to look at his grandfather, still astonished that he was here, finally answering him, though he couldn't shake the urgency he still felt to get back to Rey, whatever it took.

Anakin almost snickered. "Don't give me that look." He said as he brushed past Ben, now taking the lead up the stairs, with Ben slowly tailing behind. "I have a friend I want you to meet."

A short while later, the pair reached the top of the staircase and now stood on top of a long, broken patio.

Ben looked around, discovering pieces of what resembled a castle, now lay on the ground. It surprised him, how beautiful it seemed, and broken, this land. Everything was grey and white, and the grass and trees around them were vibrant shades of green, and the stones remained as memories of what once was.

Catching his attention, Anakin gestured to a man that was lounging casually on a broken bench overlooking the sea below, sipping from a cup in one hand. The man straightened in his chair as he felt the presence from the pair's arrival, and stood to greet them.

Ben, who was already on edge, took a step back as the man approached. Without his lightsaber, he dared not to take any chances, even with his grandfather at his side.

"Ben, this is Obi-Wan Kenobi."

The man clasped his own hands together and held them at his front, sending a soft smile to Ben and a bow of his head.

Several words and titles rushed within the air, a flutter of energy that Anakin exerted; Master, friend, brother – Ben wasn't sure which fit best, but his shoulders lost a little bit of the tension they once held at Anakin's ease around him.

Growing up, he had heard so many stories of good and bravery about this man, all before Snoke attempted to debunk them, branding him as a traitor and killer.

He hated himself for it, but he was still on edge.

"It's alright, Ben. There can be no harm done here, in this world. I was a friend of your families, and I am a friend of yours." Obi stated, his tone almost sad and sorrowful for Ben.

Something about it, about the events that lead here and meeting his grandfather, and feeling his father's presence, made his knees weak.

From pain? From exhaustion? He wasn't sure, but again, he felt a sad wave of emotion tug at him again, and he had no choice but to let his gaze fall to the ground, a bad attempt at trying to hide his grief.

"I... I've heard a lot about you." Ben muttered, the only thing that came to his tongue at the moment as his mind circled back to Rey. "Where... Where is she?"

It got quiet then, with Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanging a look. Their glance lingered longer than it should have, and Ben felt the air thicken so much that he looked up with wide, eager eyes, waiting for the response.

Anakin shifted from foot to foot, reading whatever was on Obi's mind as he glanced far across the sea.

"How?" Anakin asked, his brows knitting together as he stepped forward to get a better look.

Ben, who still wasn't sure what was going, watched Obi's face as the man tried to find the words.

"I'm not sure... No one is sure, really..." Obi stumbled to say.

Ben looked from Obi to Anakin, trying to decipher the panic that was arriving in both men.

When neither said any more, Ben took two large steps and stood in front of his grandfather.

"What is it? I have to find a way back; you have to help me!"

Obi was already shaking his head as he turned around to face him. "It's not that simple, Ben."

Ben's mouth formed into a tight line as he gulped. "Why?" he demanded. "It was easy enough to bring me here, in this in between place. I didn't ask for this. Why am I here?" He nearly begged, his voice beginning to break as he desperately searched for answers.

Obi looked at the back of Anakin sadly as he began to speak with a slow, soft tone that offered sorrow and comfort as best it could. Ben thought it made him feel worse as he listened, trying not to break down. "You did good. You were selfless. This is where we come to have our peace, to observe, to offer guidance when we can, when the force allows it without interference. Every one believed in you, Ben. And you did great."

Again, Ben looked down to the ground as his chin trembled, and his heart ached.

"Is... is there no going back?" He asked, defeatedly.

"Obi..." Anakin started, his eyes still on the far distance of the ocean. Obi held a hand up to halt what he was going to say as he stepped forward to Ben, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and gently squeezing.

"That is up to you. Your body is damaged... Severely damaged, at that... If you return, there's no telling if you'd have any force energy to find your back here, shall things not work in your favor..."

"And so, I'll die, completely." Ben finished for him. He lifted his head up and met Obi's eyes, taking the man's silence as confirmation.

Ben's head began to pound at his choices. Either live in this in-between world, with the ability to watch over Rey, or try to return to her with no guarantee that he'd survive, and lose the option of this world and its ability all together...

With a shaky breath, he bit the inside of his cheek.

"Obi-" Anakin tried once more, his tone alert and urgent. Obi hushed him once more as he tried to comfort Ben, waiting for his response, if he had the answer.

"Obi!" Anakin said louder.

The man scowled and turned abruptly to Anakin, stopping mid scold. "Oh, what is it Anakin, that it couldn't wait another minute?-"

Both Anakin and Obi watched the skies across the ocean with wide eyes, so silent that Ben turned to see what was going on.

Across the blue seas, in the very far distance, the grey skies seemed to twirl into dark purple clouds, heavy with rain, loud with thunder, and bolts of lightning striking here and there.

The storm grew larger by the minute, as if a hurricane was beginning to form and move in the fastest pace.

"How-" Obi began to ask, before Anakin answered.

"I don't know. No one has ever done it." Anakin stated, in awe.

"Is she-"

"Yes, I think so." Ben heard his grandfather say with a breath.

Ben gulped as he eyed the heavy, dark storm that was approaching, feeling a presence looming over the island, as if the humidity was already there, sucking the lands dry.

The purple that coated the grey seemed so familiar to him, so raw...

Like the lightning that bolted out from deep within the clouds, his mind worked to remind him of Rey's saber, so violent and pure.

His eyes widened as he stepped forward.

"Rey?" He turned to the men. "I thought she was okay? I thought she lived!" He seethed, taking another step as his heart began to pound.

Obi-Wan began to shake his head, his concerned gaze still watching the storm approaching them. "She is. She's alive, she's still there..."

"She's forced herself in, she's found it."

Together, all three men watched as the storm approached across the sea, waves crashing against each other and along the rock of the large mountain they stood on, each of them baffled and shocked.

The amount of energy it was taking her to shove her presence here, in this land of in between, could end her, Ben was sure of it.

Blinking several times, his heart ached. Had she come in search of him?

"Ben..." Anakin called to him.

He knew right then, without needing to take another moment to think it over.

It was Rey.

It was always Rey.

"I have to." Ben said sternly.

As he moved to step forward, Obi stopped him with a hand to his shoulder.

"It's not a guarantee, Ben-"

Ben turned to him, his eyes red with angst and despair, on the verge of tears caused by his inner panic.

"If she exhausts all of her force power, there's no telling if she will make it back here were she to pass. This can't be for nothing! She's more than this!"

"So are you, Ben." Anakin said softly as his eyes grew sad. "But I understand. I would give my life for my Padme, I'd die a thousand deaths for her to have one more breath." He inhaled a slow, steady breath of fresh air before returning his eyes back to meet his grandson's, who's were now pooling with hot, angry tears.

He continued, "The choice is yours. The choice will always be yours."

The silence grew between them for only a moment as the wind picked up, heavy with the scent of the impending storm the island was about to endure.

At a moment of clarity, Obi smirked.

"You have a moment to think about it, Ben." Obi said while he glanced to the heavy storm across the seas.

Both Ben and Anakin looked at him questioningly as the man began to softly smile.

"She's with an old friend."

( X )

She wasn't sure what had happened.

She wasn't sure what she'd done to get here, the place she'd been to before when she herself had died. But she remembered finding answers here, and finding peace.

During that time, she had been lost, without cause, and without the love she had now experienced.

What was different, however, was now she was not the one who had died, and this was not a place that one would just up and find.

After deep meditation, Rey's mind seemed to crumble at the feeling of her loss and heartbreak, a literal shatter of her mind and being, the force losing its grip on her soul and teeter-tottering within her veins.

And similar to how she fought in battle, Rey saw her opening and barged in, surpassing the gates that withheld the force, finding any hint of the force signature that captured her heart so intently.

She felt Ben here. There was no doubt about it.

Her frown began to soften, and her hardened features slowly disappeared. The true anger and despair she felt paused as she opened her tightly shut eyes, her hair blowing across her face from the sharp, chaotic winds that surrounded her along with the purple skies.

With shock, Rey realized she was in the middle of a dark, dry storm.

Had she caused this? The only thing she thought that could possibly explain thi-

"Rey."

She froze at the sound of her name whispered behind her, the voice belonging to none other than her Master, Luke Skywalker.

Instantly, she felt hot, tears fill her eyes as she turned to him, sneering at him as the thunder boomed around the small island they stood on, waves crashing all around them.

"I called for you so many times! And now when it's too late, you're here?" She scoffed, a soft sob escaping her lips as she began to pace feverishly.

"Rey..." He tried again, his hands holding another in front of him as his own hair blew in the wind. His entire demeanor seemed patient, and expecting, which only seemed to anger Rey even more.

"I loved him!" She screamed above the loud winds and thunder. Her tone dripped with venom as she began to break down, her pacing coming to stop in front of Luke. "I loved him and you knew it!"

She sank to her knees, her face buried in her hands as her shoulders shook with her sobs. The sounds that escaped her were in tune with the thunder that shook the ground, so much so that the waves began to roll in.

As ocean water surrounded her knees, she moved her hands and looked down, spotting her own reflection staring back at her; Yellows eyes sunken in purple lids. The visual made her shoot back, blinking a few times and rubbing at her tear stained eyes as she stood, the ocean receding.

"Do not let grief overcome you, Rey-"

With her palms pressed over her eyes, she stifled another sob, biting her bottom lip to help. "How? How could you possibly say this?" She whispered.

Without fear of what she was turning into, Luke stepped towards her, placing his warm hands on her shoulders, giving her a small shake to let her hands fall away. When they did, he bent his head to meet her gaze, and watched as the yellow began to slowly fade, just as the winds slowed and thunder quieted.

"The love you both created saved one another, Rey. I saw it. I'm sorry for ever doubting it, but I saw it with my own eyes, and I felt it even more when he died saving what he loved."

Sniffling, Rey thought for a moment as her broken voice whispered the name. "Leia?"

With a small, sad smile, Luke nodded. "He always had that love, even if he denied it. But you brought it out of him. That's how he's here. That's how his force has found peace."

Rey looked away as she took it in.

Ben, at peace? At least, his force found it...

The thought made her want to sob again.

She knew deep down that no one deserved this peace more than Ben, that the man deemed to rule the galaxy and take it down all the same, ended up saving it, deserved all the happiness amongst the stars...

She just never considered it would be without her.

But the thought, nonetheless, gave her more comfort than anything else possibly could have.

"Can... Can I talk to him?" Rey whispered, and Luke shook his head slowly, and sadly.

"Rey... The fact that you have found your way here, and how you found a way to...deceive the force... has baffled us all. You shouldn't be here. It's... It's unnatural, in this state."

Rey's lip trembled involuntarily, beginning to feel like a child that had done something wrong.

All she wanted was Ben. She just wanted him safe, with her.

"What will happen?" She asked quietly, afraid of the answer as a tear rolled down her cheek. Her heart was still broken, and anxiety filled her knowing that Ben was somewhere in this world, yet he wasn't nearby and she wouldn't get the chance to talk to him.

In a way, she understood... But she hated the hurt that the truth carried.

Luke inhaled slowly. "You try to go back, and you let Ben decide, just as you once had to."

Her eyes met his once more. "You... You were there after all?"

He nodded. "Always, kiddo."

The way he casually spoke to her made Rey's body shake with a quiet sob that she refused to let escape. Even if it was for a short while, this man was still her mentor and Master, and in the end, he was still trying to help her.

Luke moved to grab her hand, and slowly led her to the center of the small island, letting her hand drop back to her side before taking a step back and kneeling on a patch of grass, motioning and watching as she did the same.

He placed his hands on his knees, a meditation pose that Rey had copied from time to time, and is now doing again. They locked eyes before they began.

"Ben never died for nothing. Everything that he's done in the past, has led him here. His family loves him, his family forgives him. And it's time for him to do the same for himself. No one can make that decision for him, when it comes to his life."

The words he chose brought memories to her mind of her life on Jakku, and how she so desperately wanted to belong to someone, yet ultimately, took charge of her own life, and those decisions too, led her here.

She nodded, slow and sad, but still acknowledged this.

"Will he..." she began.

"He'll will be okay, always." Luke said, and watched as her head fell. He reached over and tugged her chin up, meeting her eyes again. "And so will you."

Sniffling again, Rey blinked.

She took a moment to think about the position they were in now, with Ben being where he belonged, wherever he chose. And her, in this place where she didn't belong, at least not at the moment.

"What's going to happen?" She asked, her voice distant.

Luke took another breath. "We are going to try and take you back. If you were to stay, there's no telling what would happen, or if you would even survive. We can only hope that you have enough force energy to take you back home, and finish your journey as it was meant to be."

"How will I know that it will be okay? That Ben will be okay? That you will be okay? Or that I'll make it?" Rey asked, beginning to sound urgent even through the tears that now began to spill as she whispered.

Re-adjusting their hands, Luke gazed into her eyes.

"Hope." Luke said.

With that, he closed his eyes softly, and Rey followed suit, her heart aching so much her body almost shook with every breath. The loss she felt was overwhelming, and the belonging she sought for so long was nowhere to be found.

But as she closed her eyes, she felt a hard press to her shoulders, and her face began to relax as her tears came to a stop, finding comfort and love from the presence of those behind her; Chirrut, Kai, Han, and Obi-Wan.

Their force cocooned her, protecting her with their strengths as they guided her mind softly, taking their time to comfort her and to show her love, to praise her and thank her. No words were spoken, no other tears were shed.

She let herself be led into the light beyond the gates of the force, and with hope at her side, she tried to find her way home.

( X )

"Is she okay?" Ben asked, standing at the side of his grandfather as the pair watched the storm wash away, and the grey begin to return to the skies.

Anakin softly smiled as he wrapped his arm around Ben's shoulder.

"She is now."

( X )

Ben Solo made his choice.

With the guidance of those around him, with the presence of his father in his heart and mind, with the comfort of his grandfather and the man he was named after, he had made his choice.

In the end, love always won.

( X )

The air in the room seemed to still as Rey came back to her sense, dizzy and out of sorts, but she had made it back.

The exhaustion of her force exertion made her sick, but it was not enough to distract her from Ben's body that still lay on top of the table in the cold, broken room of the bunker.

Her body felt frail and cold as it dawned on her just how close she had come to death herself, but the love and comfort she had felt on the way back, had been worth it knowing that it was exactly what Ben was getting.

In the end, hope was what helped them survive, and hope was what she needed with Ben.

Closing her eyes, Rey leaned her forehead against the back of his hand, hoping now that Ben knew how much she loved him, and how much he had meant to her life. Briefly, she wondered if that's what she would have chosen to say to him, had she got the chance to speak...

She just hoped he knew. However, the force allowed it, she continued to hope.

And in that instant, his hand twitched.

( X )

It had been nearly seven months since the day Kylo Ren died.

Media covered it almost more than the end of the actual war, and it was telling all in itself.

'THE MASKED PRINCE HAS FALLEN', 'SUPREME LEADER DEAD!' the headlines read.

Rey had learned to tune them out at this point.

As she walked down to the creek to refill a bucket with water, she took a moment to relive those events; How she'd crossed into the in-between world, how she had deceived the forced and tried to fit herself into its frozen world, when it wasn't her time.

She remembered how exhausted she had been, and how it took her nearly a month to even begin to feel the force again, having been absolutely depleted of it.

But it was worth it.

In the end, he was always worth it.

She'd give up the force in a heartbeat if it meant saving Ben, and she'd repeat every motion she had made if it meant anything related to Ben Solo's life.

With a soft smile, Rey filled the bucket with water and moved to stand, placing it on a nearby boulder as she looked across the green grass and colorful flowers that grew in the garden bed.

The thing the media missed, was that Kylo Ren died, yes. But Ben Solo lived.

He had come back to her, taking a chance and risking his own life just as she had done for him.

And again, their love conquered all and survived the worst, proving that love and hope intertwined created something worth living for.

Looking back at it all, Rey can't believe how far they had come since first meeting, and now, since he'd returned back to her from death.

In the events that had followed since then, Rey often gets quite dizzy thinking about.

The moment she had felt his hand twitch, and she had looked up to see him barely moving, but moving nonetheless, she had felt such relief that she had never known in her life.

She cried as she kissed him, and apologized over and over again as she bumped into his wound, all while crying tears that couldn't stop their pour.

All he could do was attempt a smile, still in pain and still extremely weak.

She ran to find Leia, who was already outside the door, with wide, hopeful eyes as she looked beyond Rey to see Ben awake. Leia immediately ordered a med team to the room, a team that she trusted to remain quiet.

As Ben was tended to, Leia was already working on the girl's behalf.

"Rey, it isn't safe... He still has a lot of enemies out there..."

She was already nodding to Leia as she intently watched Ben getting patched up.

A short while later, they had agreed that it'd be best to keep Ben's status quiet, at least for now, and that included Rey's friends.

It was true; The galaxy did not know Ben Solo, in fact, they had only known of what he could have been, and what he turned into, without knowing the changes he had made or the great details of his part in taking down the First Order.

Many people throughout the stars only saw him as Kylo Ren, which Rey understood of course, but she wouldn't accept it.

And so, in hopes of keeping Ben safe, especially while he was so weak, Leia held a mourning period throughout the base to allow time to herself, which was truly her time to ensure that Ben was tended to and recovering.

It took a long time though, as his wounds were deadly, and their medical team had to take great measures in making sure he recovered properly.

During this mourning period, they held a small funeral, where Leia and Rey worked together to create a concealed send-off by burning a cloth-wrapped body of a previous stormtrooper, carefully placed on top of rafts, and lit during the night.

As this was happening, Chewie and Flora, who were the only ones that had to be filled in at this point, escorted Ben to his old home on Arrowmada, the hut that housed both him and Rey for a short while before going to Naboo.

It was a worrisome trip, with Ben being so fragile and Rey unable to leave until two days later, but Rey and Leia didn't trust Ben with anybody else but Chewie and Flora, and Maz too when it came to additional air support once they crossed orbit lines to their destination.

In the end, Rey did in fact feel bad about lying to the rest of her friends, and she was sure that one day she would tell them all the truth, it had been decided.

But right now, no one would be able to truly understand, and that was okay.

As long as Rey and Ben had each other, it would always be okay.

Smiling, Rey looked up into the empty blue sky, basking in the sun before she grabbed her water and headed back to the hut, where she softly felt Ben begin to reach out.

He had just barely begun to start testing his force abilities out, having been unable of doing so for months now, but his force will and energy were starting to make appearances here and there, and it thrilled Rey to see his progress.

'Her husband's progress.'

She tested the word on her lips, something she often did at quiet times like these. The word itself brought an instant smile to her face as she remembered those events, too.

Only four months here, when he had asked.

He was in bed, the place he was contained to for a long while, watching Rey as she rolled around on the end of the bed with one of his old textbooks in hand.

He had been studying her for a long while, blinking every so often as his head would involuntarily tilt to the side, a sure hint to Rey that he was trying to use the force and peer into her mind.

She smirked, her eyes still on the book. "Quit it, Solo. You'll exhaust yourself just from trying."

Ben, a man of very few words, and a strong determination when it came to something he wanted, spoke to her in a soft, but demanding tone. "Marry me."

Those two words made Rey's mind stumble over itself, as her smile faded and her eyes blinked a few times, trying to think if she had heard him clearly.

He nudged her hip with the tip of his toe, and Rey gulped as she closed the book in her hands.

She had known of course that both her and Ben were going to be with one another for the rest of their lives, but to be asked, to be bound, had never occurred to her.

She just truly never thought that anyone would want that with her, to want to take her and have her as their family, as their wife.

She met his eyes with tears stinging her own, and leapt up to climb into his lap, her mouth meeting his in a desperate kiss to answer for her, knowing that her own voice wouldn't work at a time like this.

Ben grunted into the kiss as pain flared across his healing wounds, but the arms that wrapped around her refused to let her go.

These days, it's one of her favorite memories, aside from the day that they had vowed themselves to one another.

Only two people attended; Leia, who struggled on her cane as her other hand constantly wiped away tears that shed as she watched her son marry his mate, and Maz, who wed the pair in the fields on Arrowmada.

To Rey, it was perfect, in their own little world as they had always lived, and promising to be each other's light through the darkness.

With a sigh, Rey approached the clearing the led back to the hut, coming within range of Ben's force signature that was able to get out a small message to her.

'Come home.'

Again, Rey smiled with a soft sigh.

In the end of it all, even in their old paradise, Rey still felt a darkness lingering out there in the galaxy, a darkness that sometimes whispered her name, or tried to creep across her mind before she shut it out.

It wasn't the time to worry about that though.

The true war was over, and the Resistance won. Her friends were safe, and she was married to her mate with the force on their side and their force family watching over them.

All was okay in the galaxy, and Rey knew this.

The other battles could wait another day, so with hope and love guiding her, Rey went home to Ben.

( X )

Author's Notes:

I cannot begin to thank every single person enough that followed this story, that sent me their thoughts and reviews, and even those that silently kept up with this story.

'Steady On' has been the best outlet for me over the past year, and this story was something that I felt so connected to, and to see so many people connect with it still brings tears to my eyes every single time.

I had the ending planned out before I ever had anything else in mind. Rey and Ben/Kylo's story always rang truth of love, hope and redemption, and I hope that's what I delivered.

I never believed that Rey was perfect, nor was she completely good. I think she was imperfect, and because of her flaws, that's what made her so interesting.

Ben and Rey together are not always perfect, but they bring out such goodness within each other, and they loved one another with their flaws and all.

I do have ideas for a sequel, if I ever do follow through with that, I will post an additional chapter on here just letting you all know that it's up.

With that said, thank you all so much for your love. To this day, I go back through those pages of reviews and just read them over and over again, and they lift me up as a person and as a writer, and I just can never ever come to a point where I ever thank you all enough.

I love you all.

I thank you all.

May the force be with you guys.

P.S. - Follow me on Tumblr VirtualReylo for more updates. With the release of TROS, I know a lot of people are panicking and heartbroken, but anything is possible in the world of Star Wars, and I stand by this more and more every day.

I love you guys. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Onto my next story! TROS related.


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